Slave to a Gladiator
by Brit Columbia
Summary: Horny gladiator and flustered slave boy in NYC! COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Slave to a Gladiator **

By Brit Columbia

_Chapter One_

Fandom: Fake

Pairing: Dee and Ryo

Rating: This chapter is more limey than lemony. However, graphic hotness will eventually ensue.

Spoilers: to Volume 7

Disclaimer: Sanami Matoh created these characters, not me. I was not paid in any way for the creation of this story.

Summary: Horny gladiator and flustered slave boy in NYC. I think that pretty well says it all.

Author's notes: Please read and review! I wrote this story for mtemplar and jdr1124, who both pounced on a line in Fake First Year Together: A New Day (May), chapter 34.

Thank you to mtemplar for beta-ing this.

**Slave to a Gladiator **

_**Chapter One**_

"What the hell is this?" Ryo demanded, taking the costume Dee handed to him. "And why are you dressed like a gladiator? I thought we agreed we were going to go to this party as Butch and Sundance."

"Sorry babe. It looks like a lot of other gay couples had that idea ahead of us. This was all they had left."

Ryo looked dubiously at the costume. "What am I supposed to be, if you're already the gladiator?"

"Er...you're some kind of Roman citizen."

"Well, this doesn't exactly look like a toga. It looks like half of it is missing. Where's the rest?"

"That's all they gave me. Come on, just try it on. The party's in less than an hour, and we don't have time to find another costume."

Grumbling under his breath, Ryo quickly stripped out of his slacks and shirt, and put the costume on. It consisted of a short, cream-colored tunic, embroidered around the shoulders and hem with gold thread in a pattern of leaves. There was a pair of brown leather sandals that laced up his calves. Ryo stood up and faced Dee. "I think it's a little big around the waist," he said.

Dee handed him a box, saying, "It needs a belt. There's probably one in here. These are the accessories for that costume."

Ryo opened up the box and his mouth dropped open in shock. "Are these manacles and chains part of the costume?" he demanded. "And what the hell is this - a whip?" His eyes met Dee's with indignation. "Wait a minute - I'm not a Roman citizen, I'm a friggin' SLAVE boy!"

Dee nodded admiringly. "And a very sexy slave boy you are, too."

"Why do I have to be the slave boy, while you get to be the gladiator?" Ryo complained, tugging at the hem of his tunic in mortification. "I can't go out in this! It's so...so short! And it still needs a belt."

"That whip is actually the belt," Dee informed him helpfully. "The idea is that if the slave displeases his master in public, he removes the slave's belt and disciplines him with it."

Ryo grimly wrapped the whip-belt around his waist and knotted it. "If anyone in this room so much as _thinks_ about doing that, he's gonna find himself eating the carpet."

"Dude, you are one fine-looking slave boy." Dee looked him over appraisingly. "Turn around and show me the back."

"Why not?" said Ryo, rolling his eyes and turning around. "You might as well get a good look because I'm taking it off in about fifteen seconds."

The minute he had turned around, he felt Dee pressing up against his back. There it was: the familiar and unmistakable sensation of a hard-on pressing against his buttocks.

"Dee, what the hell are you doing? I'm in no mood for this." Ryo sounded pissed off. "Couldn't you have gotten a better costume for me? This one is positively indecent, not to mention demeaning."

"Baby, you have no idea how fucking hot you look in that outfit. Come on over to the mirror."

Ryo had no choice about going over to the mirror, because Dee dragged him there.

"Look at us," Dee said, and Ryo raised mutinous eyes to their reflection. Dee stood there in a leather breastplate adorned with rounded metal studs, and a short kilt with leather strips hanging in front of his groin. The effect was somewhat disrupted by the raging erection that had recently sprung up in that location and was only barely being contained by whatever it was that gladiators wore as underwear. A wide leather sword belt encircled his waist, and he wore matching leather wrist cuffs. Ryo's eyes went from Dee to himself and he saw that he had indeed been right when he pronounced the tunic short. Hell, it was almost as short as the micro-mini Diana had worn to conduct her consequently very well-attended workshop on serial-killer profiling.

"Don't we look Roman?" Dee asked. "These costumes are great, especially yours."

"If you like it so much, YOU wear it, and I'll be the gladiator."

"No can do, babe. I already tried it on. You think it's short on you? Well, my balls were on display. Literally. Plus I almost popped a seam in the shoulder when I was trying to get it off. It's just right on you, but on me, it's definitely too small."

"So you say." Ryo looked from himself to Dee and considered that it just might be possible that Dee was telling the truth. There was a three-inch difference in their heights and Dee was a tad heavier through the shoulders. "I'm still not going to the party in this outfit, no matter how many compliments you give me."

"Okay, baby, I'm not gonna force you." Dee snorted. "Like I could! Hey, since you're probably gonna take it off anyway, why don't you try on the rest of the costume?"

"What, there's more?"

"You're forgetting the chains and manacles. Look! They're pretty! The gold-tone matches the leaves on your tunic." He held them up hopefully, making very effective puppy dog eyes.

Ryo couldn't resist the puppy dog eyes. "Oh all right, put them on me. But just for a minute."

Dee locked one manacle around Ryo's right wrist, then the other to his left. There was a longish three-foot chain between them that afforded the wearer some freedom of movement, and Ryo moved his hands out from his body experimentally, and looked at himself in the mirror. The chains were rather beautiful, like a sort of exaggerated barbaric adornment. Dee was right; they did match his tunic perfectly.

"Huh. Interesting," he said. "Okay, you've seen the whole costume. Unlock me now."

"Oops," said Dee, looking down at the carpet in puzzlement.

&

End of chapter one

Additional author's notes: By the way, chapter two is up on my LJ page, if you want to go there and check it out. I'll post again here in about a week. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_Chapter Two_

By Brit Columbia

Fandom: Fake

Pairing: Dee and Ryo

Rating: Mature, so far. Restraints and groping.

Spoilers: to Volume 7

Disclaimer: Sanami Matoh created these characters, not me. I was not paid in any way for the creation of this story.

Summary: Horny gladiator and flustered slave boy in NYC.

Author's notes: Please read and review! I wrote this story for mtemplar and jdr1124, who both pounced on a line in Fake First Year Together: A New Day (May), chapter 34.

Thank you to mtemplar and moontatoo for beta-ing this.

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** Slave to a Gladiator**_, Chapter Two_

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"Oops," said Dee.

"What do you mean, 'Oops'?" Ryo whirled around and stared at Dee in alarm.

"I, uh, think I dropped the key somewhere."

"You WHAT?" Ryo took a threatening step toward him.

"Oh, wait, false alarm. There's the key. It seems to be stuck in your belt."

Before Ryo knew what was happening, Dee had hooked the center of the chain to a gold ring in the centre of the whip-belt, and Ryo's range of movement was suddenly dramatically restricted.

"Dee! What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm securing my disobedient slave boy," said Dee with a sexy grin. "And you know what? I'm not happy with this costume the way it is. You're wearing entirely too much clothing."

"Dee Laytner, let me remind you that even in chains, sandals and a goddamn mini-skirt, I am still a dangerous man who is perfectly capable of dislocating your shoulder."

"I know that, but I'm really hoping you won't." Dee gave Ryo a sharp push to the center of his chest and watched him tumble backwards onto the bed with a surprised yell. In a flash, Dee was on him, pinning his lover to the mattress with his body weight.

Ryo struggled mightily and Dee was hard-pressed to hold him down without leaning the weight of his chest against him. He didn't want Ryo to hurt himself on the breastplate.

"Dee! Get off me right now!"

"In a minute," said Dee, who proceeded to reach inside the skirt of Ryo's tunic and feel him up. "And really, it's not good for a slave boy to scold and threaten his master."

Ryo gritted his teeth and snarled wordlessly.

"Come on baby, play along with me here." Dee looked down at Ryo in entreaty.

" 'Play along' with you? What are you talking about?"

"My all-time number one sex fantasy, that's what." Dee looked away, and to Ryo's amazement, actually seemed a little embarrassed. "But if you don't want to...I understand." He slowly raised himself up off Ryo and knelt there, quietly, looking down at the bed.

Ryo stared up at Dee, feeling thoroughly bewildered. Dee seemed hurt, and he instantly felt guilty for being the cause of that hurt. But at the same time, a more logical part of his brain was struggling to assert reason. Dee had rented him a skimpy costume that he expected him to wear to a party, and then had tricked him into wearing chains and manacles. It was really the outside of enough. And yet, here he was making a confession that these costumes were part of a sexual fantasy that was evidently important to him. Ryo suddenly didn't know what to think.

"Dee," he said, trying to reach out a hand to his partner, but not being able to because those damn chains were still attached to his belt. "You know, you really shouldn't spring these things on me...I mean, if this is your number one sex fantasy, couldn't you at least have talked to me about it? Given me some warning?"

Dee sighed and met his eyes. "I know I should have. But I was pretty sure you'd say no. So I took a chance and, uh, surprised you with it. I thought you might, you know, get caught up in it with me, see the potential of these costumes...I'm really sorry, Ryo. It was a bad call on my part. I've obviously made you uncomfortable, and I never wanted to do that."

"I'm still confused," Ryo said. "Is there or is there not a costume party tonight?"

Dee shook his head silently, trying to hide his disappointment at the way his plans had gone awry, but not really succeeding.

"No party? Then all this -" Ryo indicated Dee's costume and his own- "was just for me?"

"Us," Dee corrected. "Because, to be honest, a big part of it was about me fulfilling my fantasy. But I really wanted to see you in that costume. Been fantasizing about it for months."

He looked so downcast that Ryo's heart went out to him. "Dee," he whispered. "Don't look like that. You know I hate to see you looking sad."

"Sorry, babe." Dee forced a smile onto his face. "I'm okay, really. I just totally screwed this evening up, that's all. I need to feel sorry for myself for a while and then I'll have a beer and get over it. Don't worry, all right?" He climbed off Ryo and stretched out a hand to help him up. "Come on, let me unlock your chains, and then you can get out of those... those clothes."

"Dee, wait. Not so fast." The logical part of Ryo's brain tried to stop him. _Wait a second, you idiot, what are you doing? Shut up, shut up!_ He didn't listen to it. "If, um...if this is really your number one fantasy, then I'm glad you told me about it."

Dee paused, his hand on one of Ryo's. His facial expression had undergone a subtle change. There was a faint air of alertness about him, and Ryo thought he saw a little flicker of hope flare briefly in his eyes. He didn't speak, however. He just looked at Ryo and waited to see if he would add anything else.

Ryo took a deep breath. He could feel the heat slowly rising in his face as he looked back at Dee, resplendent in the hyper-masculine costume of a Roman gladiator. His lover really was a gorgeous man. And the sight of him in a studded breastplate and leather wrist guards was causing him to feel stirrings of desire that he had suppressed earlier in his anxiety about having to go to a party dressed as a slave boy. "As long as I don't have to actually appear in public dressed like this, um... I don't mind if you wanna, you know...fool around a little in these costumes..."

"Really?" Dee's face lit up like the sun.

"Uh-huh. But I never played this kind of game before, so you'll have to tell me what I should do." Ryo lay on the bed with his hair all mussed and the skirt of his tunic rucked up to reveal his bright blue boxers, feeling certain that he looked absolutely ridiculous, but hoping he was wrong. "And I don't want to do anything too embarrassing!" he added.

_-End of chapter two-_

Additional author's notes: More in about a week! Thanks for reading.


	3. Chapter 3

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_**Chapter Three**_

By Brit Columbia

Fandom: Fake

Pairing: Dee and Ryo

Rating: Still on foreplay. But it's very suggestive and fun, so go for it!

Spoilers: to Volume 7

Disclaimer: Sanami Matoh created these characters, not me. I was not paid in any way for the creation of this story.

Summary: Gladiator and Slave boy in NYC. Toss in a whip and some chains.

Author's notes: Please read and review! I wrote this story for mtemplar and jdr1124, who both pounced on a line in Fake First Year Together: A New Day (May), chapter 34.

Timing: This story is set in October of Dee and Ryo's first year together. It happens after Keep It Down, which is posted on Mediaminer (Good luck navigating that extremely user-unfriendly site) and AdultFanFiction.

Thank you to mtemplar and moontatoo for beta-ing this.

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_**Chapter Three**_

Dee rested one knee and one hand on the bed, and leaned over him, smiling happily, and caressing one of Ryo's thighs. "Sweetheart, I know that role plays and costumes are a big step for you, and I just want you to know that we can stop it anytime if you start hating it, okay?"

"Okay." Ryo signified willingness by opening his thighs slightly in invitation. He had noticed that Dee's erection, which had gone down in the aftermath of their struggle on the bed, was returning to its full glory. He was titillated by the idea that Dee had been fantasizing about seeing him in this costume. He felt a little nervous about the chains, but it wasn't as though they hadn't done it with handcuffs before. In fact, it had been he who had introduced handcuffs into their sexual repertoire back in June, when he had handcuffed Dee to his bed and put a finger inside him for the first time, while teasing him with a long, leisurely blow job. Dee had loved it, and since then, they had played with the handcuffs several more times, taking turns to cuff and be cuffed. These gold chains and manacles were actually slightly more comfortable and definitely more aesthetically pleasing than the handcuffs. "So, what next?"

"Well, maybe I should start by explaining my fantasy," said Dee, stroking Ryo's other thigh with his large, strong hand. "It has several variations, but the theme is always the same."

"Go on." Ryo hoped his nervousness wasn't written too clearly on his face. He couldn't believe what he had just agreed to.

Dee continued caressing Ryo's bare legs gently. He understood his lover well enough to know that underneath the aura of false calm that he was trying to project, his darling Ryo was probably all knotted up with anxiety. It was essential that they take things slowly for the next ten or fifteen minutes in order to give him a chance to get his mind around what he was shortly going to be doing. He needed to be seduced and to feel safe before he would be ready to take the next step.

My fantasy," Dee began. "Well, it goes like this. I'm a gladiator in ancient Rome, a free agent kind of fighter. I'm not a slave of the emperor or a criminal or anything." Dee had both hands on Ryo now. His fingers were sliding under his partner's buttocks, squeezing and kneading at the firmness he found there. "I win a gorgeous slave boy in a fight against my nemesis, a bastard who looks a lot like Commissioner Rose."

This brought a chuckle from Ryo, who couldn't help imagining the bespectacled Commissioner in a gladiator costume with a necktie inexplicably hanging down his front. Dee grinned back at him and hooking his fingers up under the waistband of Ryo's blue boxers, began tugging on them. He got them down at the back, but they were hooked on Ryo's stiffening penis in front. Dee leaned down and kissed the head of the penis through the blue fabric. Ryo gasped and wriggled a little. "Wh - what happens next?"

"I take my lawfully-won prize back to my quarters in order to ravish him, but he resists me, the clueless dork. He's never been a slave before, and he doesn't understand what that means. He doesn't understand that he has to obey me and do whatever I say." Dee began working Ryo's boxers down in front.

"Let me guess. You tell him to cook you dinner and get you a beer and he tells you to go jump in the lake."

"Don't be a wiseguy. No, I tell him to take his clothes off and get on the bed, and he thinks he doesn't have to do it. He also thinks he isn't gay, so he really doesn't want to get naked with me."

"Hmmm...That sounds vaguely familiar. How long have you had this fantasy?"

Dee knew what Ryo was asking. He wanted to know whether Dee had ever fantasized this scenario about anyone else.

"Only since a certain person started working at the 27th," he replied with a grin, pulling Ryo's underwear down over his legs. "Anyhow, my sexy slave boy spurns my advances and tries to leave, so I have to either chain him or tie him to the bed. That's when I start his slave training."

"What does his slave training consist of?" Ryo asked, looking a little apprehensive. Dee had just tossed his underwear onto the floor and was smoothing down the front of Ryo's tunic to cover his still-hard cock.

"Oh I don't beat or torture him any, don't worry. Well, not much anyway. My first goal is to teach him that his body was made for male pleasure. He doesn't believe me of course, but hell, he ain't goin' anywhere on account of being chained to the bed."

"What do you mean you don't beat or torture him..._much_?"

"In one of the many variations of this fantasy, I spank or whip him a little, but more to show him who's boss than to punish him."

"Are you going to, um, whip me?" Ryo undulated his hips under Dee's hand, which was caressing his penis through the front of his tunic.

"Only if you're at all turned on by the idea."

Ryo looked nervous, but thoughtful. "Maybe just a little. I don't know..."

"Don't be scared, sweetheart. If we do that, I'll be gentle. It'll sting a little, but in a good kind of way, you know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I think so," Ryo breathed. Listening to Dee tell him a sex story, in which he, Ryo, was the featured player, while lying on a bed and having his erection fondled was certainly having a powerful effect on his libido. So far, he was enjoying this. But then he reminded himself that he hadn't had to do anything potentially difficult or embarrassing yet. It was possible that Dee would be expecting him to take a more active role soon. "So, uh, what does the slave boy think of the fact that he's chained to a bed by a man who intends to perform sexual acts on him? I - I mean, what kinds of things does he _say_?"

"Oh, you know. He insults me and tells me that he wouldn't willingly sleep with me, even if I were the last person on earth. See, he still can't believe I'm actually gonna do it to him. But then, when he finally realizes I mean business, he tries to offer me money not to defile him. He has friends, or powerful connections who would help him if they knew where he was. He says he'll get money from them and give it to me. But he doesn't understand that for me, there's no amount of money in the world that's gonna make me change my mind about making him mine. Anyway, the first part of his slave training is to make him understand that deep down, he wants me. So I start turning him on."

"Does it work?"

"Sweet Jesus, yes. He gets super turned on, but he can't accept it because we're both guys and he already told me he doesn't like guys."

"Wow. I think I know this story."

"Yeah, I bet you do. Can you maybe tell me what comes next, then?"

"I'm guessing that you... um, you tease him until he admits he's attracted to you?"

"Bingo! And then?"

"You have sex with him and he enjoys it and falls in love with you?"

"I think you know the script already." Dee smiled at Ryo and bent down to kiss the tops of his thighs under the gold-embroidered hem of the garment he was wearing. Shall we start?"

"Er - yeah - uh...wait!"

"Mm?"

"Do I have to do a lot of, you know, talking?"

"Not if you don't want to. Just go with the flow, baby. Ready now?"

"N - um...wait!" Ryo raised his chained and manacled hands. "Are we gonna start with me already in the chains?"

"Is that what you want?"

"Dee, don't ask me questions like that! This is all new for me. I don't know what I want. Don't ask me to make decisions!"

"Okay, we'll start without the chains and add them later." Dee produced the key and unlocked Ryo's manacles." We've just come back to my rooms from the, uh, coliseum, and I'm in the mood to ravish my gorgeous new slave. That would be you. My slave is not in the mood to be ravished, and rejects me. Heh. Silly slave." He looked fondly at Ryo, as he pulled him up and off the bed. "Are you ready to start rejecting me?"

Ryo stood before him in his rumpled tunic and lace-up sandals, looking uncomfortable. "Yeah, almost. Just...one more thing. Are you... likely to, um... _whip_ your slave?"

Dee looked at his partner for a long moment, as if trying to gauge whether Ryo wanted him to say 'yes' or 'no'. He brought a hand up to caress the back of his partner's neck, and gazed into his eyes. "Yeah," he said. "And your safe word, if you want me to stop or just not start, is 'ice cream'. Got it?"

"Ice cream, yeah. I should say 'ice cream' if I don't like something, and you'll stop, right? I hope...I hope I don't have to say it, I mean I hope this'll go well because it's -"

Dee swooped in and kissed him hard, which surprised him into stopping the anxious flow of words.

"You're babbling," Dee said. "Don't be scared, Ryo. This is me, remember? The guy who adores every little thing about you. I love you and want you, no matter what."

"Even if I make a total fool of myself?"

"_Especially_ if you make a total fool of yourself." Dee cupped Ryo's cheek and kissed his nose. "Thank you for being willing to risk it. I know you're doing this for me." He enveloped Ryo in his arms and held him with tenderness and affection for a moment, before stroking him down his back to his buttocks, which he squeezed and then tugged slightly apart.

Ryo gasped at the sudden intimacy of that movement, and the unmistakable message in it. He felt renewed pleasure flow over him as Dee used his grip on Ryo's cheeks to grind their groins together. When his erection rubbed against Dee's, it reminded him that the sex had always been good between them. Why shouldn't this be good too? He clung to Dee, to the comfort in his arms, wanting to stay in the last few moments of safe familiarity.

But the time came when Dee stepped back from Ryo, and looked him up and down in a very deliberate, if not arrogant, way. When he spoke, Ryo realized that his lover was getting himself into character.

"You're a rare beauty, my little slave, and I intend to enjoy you in every way possible. Now strip, and lie down on the bed. Your master desires you."

End of chapter three

Additional Author's notes: I'll post again in a week. Chapter four is already up on my LJ. You can either email me for the address, or do a google search under brit-columbia livejournal

Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

Slave to a Gladiator

**Slave to a Gladiator **

By Brit Columbia

_Chapter Four_

Fandom: Fake

Pairing: Dee and Ryo

Rating: Mature, still. No point in rushing the foreplay when there's a whip involved.

Spoilers: to Volume 7

Disclaimer: Sanami Matoh created these characters, not me. I was not paid in any way for the creation of this story.

Summary: A stern gladiator with a whip and a semi-penitent slave boy in NYC. Read on for details!

Author's notes: Please read and review!

Thank you to mtemplar and moontatoo for beta-ing this.

**Slave to a Gladiator **

_**Chapter Four**_

Dee stepped back from Ryo, and looked him up and down in a very deliberate, if not arrogant way. When he spoke, Ryo realized that his lover was getting himself into character.

"You're a rare beauty, my little slave, and I intend to enjoy you in every way possible. Now strip, and lie down on the bed. Your master desires you."

Ryo's very first line came naturally to him. "Who are you calling 'little', you patronizing son of a bitch? I'm almost the same size as you are." He glared at Dee with genuine indignation.

Dee mock-frowned at him. "That's no way to address your master, Slave. You forget your training."

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about," said Ryo, starting to settle into his role. "I'm not anybody's slave and I'm leaving now." He made for the door, but Dee moved to block him.

"Oh no you don't. Don't even try."

Ryo drew himself up. "Step aside."

Dee abruptly tackled him and bore him backwards onto the bed for the second time that evening. He pressed the other man down with the weight of his body, leaning on his upper arms to prevent his slave from striking him.

The slave was struggling. "Get off me, you - you rapist!"

"I won't have to rape you," Dee informed him, "because you'll be begging me to fuck you before I'm done with you."

"Um...confident, aren't you?" panted Ryo. "Well, I'll have you know that I'm not a...homosexual, like you. I'm only interested in women. You don't excite me at all." _Jeez, what a pack of lies I used to tell myself,_ he thought.

"Oh no? What's this then?" Dee rubbed his crotch against Ryo's hard penis.

"It's nothing!" He used his strong legs to advantage, and knocked Dee off balance, before putting him in a wrestling hold. "Some gladiator YOU are." Dee struggled and Ryo laughed. He liked pinning Dee down like this, getting the better of him.

"Are you going to hold me like that for the rest of the night, my troublesome slave? Because sooner or later you're gonna have to loosen your hold, and then I'm going to punish you. You can bet your _ass_ on that one, baby."

Those words sent a little thrill of delicious fear through Ryo. Would Dee actually punish him? He didn't know how he felt about that. For a moment he was tempted not to let go at all, but he reluctantly abandoned that thought because it wasn't feasible. Time to face the music. He tentatively let go of Dee, then immediately changed his mind about the music and scrambled for the edge of the bed. He almost made it, but at the last second, Dee caught his arm and pulled him back. Once more he found himself trapped under Dee, but this time he was face down and being held much more tightly than before, with Dee's breastplate pressing uncomfortably against his back. Both of them were panting with the exertion of struggling with each other, and both felt a certain excitement from the novelty of their activity. Ryo's short tunic had twisted up around his waist, and he was acutely aware of his naked, unprotected buttocks underneath the grinding heat of Dee's groin.

"Slave, there's nowhere for you to go. Your clothing identifies you as a pleasure slave. I fought for and won you in front of an audience of thousands. Wherever you run, you'll be recognized as a slave. If you're lucky, you'll be returned to me. If not, someone might catch you and sell you to a brothel. I advise you to stop struggling and give up any idea of escape."

While he had been speaking, Dee had been casting about on the bed for the discarded chains, but his questing fingers couldn't find them. Damn. They must have fallen on the floor. But he had to secure that bothersome, struggling slave as quickly as possible. That was when he thought of the whip that was wound around the other man's slender waist, where it doubled as a belt. He could use it as a restraint before he used it in the time-honored way.

He raised himself up off Ryo, so that he was kneeling astride his hips. Ryo tried to twist back and dislodge him, but Dee kept his seat. Because he was face down, Ryo couldn't use his arms or hands to good effect. He tried though, and Dee immediately grabbed one of his arms and twisted it up his back, not hard enough to hurt him, but hard enough to let him know he meant business.

"Get your filthy hands off me, you bastard. Let me go!"

Dee briefly closed his eyes in pleasure at the sensation produced by Ryo's buttocks wriggling frantically under him.

"You're my property, Slave. I own you. I'll never let you go." With his free hand, Dee started tugging the whip-belt around so that the knot was at the back where he could reach it. He was pleased to see that it had already become loosened during their brief wrestling match.

Ryo felt the length of the whip slowly sliding up past his stomach and side as Dee removed it from around his waist.

"What...what are you gonna do?" he asked.

"I think you can guess that, disobedient slave. But first there's the matter of your chains."

"Stop calling me a slave!"

Dee chuckled to himself. He was enjoying this. Ryo certainly seemed to be getting into it. He wondered if it was because his partner was trying to please him, or if it was on his own account. It wasn't always easy to tell with Ryo. If he made a promise or made up his mind to do something, he did his best with it whether he enjoyed it or not. He was like that in every area of his life. That was just the kind of person he was. Take cocksucking for example. Dee knew he hadn't really enjoyed it the first few times. But he had been determined to get good at it, and had basically forced himself to do it with that end in mind. It was only after Ryo believed he had attained some mastery over it that Dee felt he began enjoying it for its own sake.

He looped the whip a couple of times around the wrist of the arm he was holding, and then drew Ryo's other arm toward it and did the same. When both Ryo's wrists were secured together behind his back, Dee got off him and looked on the floor for the manacles. It didn't take long for him to find them. He returned to Ryo, who now had one foot on the floor and was looking uncertainly at the door.

"Still thinking about escaping?"

Ryo's second foot found the floor and he began edging away.

"Just in case you've forgotten, Slave," said Dee, moving slowly toward him, "your hands are tied behind your back, you're wearing a very short _skirt_, and you've been relieved of your underwear. Do you really wanna run outside looking like that?"

His slave looked at him resentfully, and his resentment became exacerbated by embarrassment when Dee's gaze traveled down his body to where his semi-erect cock pushed out the front of his tunic.

Dee advanced on him with the chains and Ryo backed away until he was brought up short by the dresser. He still felt a little awkward, but he couldn't deny that this game was rather exciting. He was torn between wanting to fight to preserve his character's alleged virginity and wanting to surrender to the coming pleasure. The war within him seemed to be between the old and the new Ryo. The old Ryo had held out against Dee for a long time, and his fight had been fueled by fear. He had dreaded the narrowing of his options, the prospect of being forced to live as part of a reviled and often victimized sector of society. But his fears had been so much bigger than the reality had turned out to be. Of course, it was uncomfortable at times, and he did occasionally encounter discrimination. But for the most part it wasn't hard for a gay couple to live in New York City. The new Ryo was very happy that he had surrendered. He was deeply in love, and sexually fulfilled for the first time ever. Yes, there had been some loss. But in exchange, he had gained everything. Everything.

Dee turned him around and untied the whip-belt from his wrists, saying, "Don't fight me, or it'll go harder for you."

Before Ryo knew what was happening, he felt the cold metal of the first manacle closing around his wrist. He shivered. It was different this time. Last time, he had merely been trying on a costume. This time he was consenting to be a slave. When the second manacle snapped into place, he knew there would be no more fighting back. For a moment, he felt the first faint tendrils of panic unfurling in the pit of his stomach, and he struggled to suppress them before the feeling built any further. _It's just a game, _his sense of reason whispered. _Nothing to be scared of_...He distracted himself from his alarm by trying to remember what he should do next in his role. What was it? Bargaining? No, insulting. Wait, hadn't he done that already? Okay, bargaining. He could do that.

He turned slowly around and met Dee's eyes. "Um, you don't have to do this, you know," he said. "I have friends. Friends with power and money. They would pay you for my release."

"Not interested."

"You could use the money to buy another slave, if you absolutely MUST be someone's master."

"Not someone's. Yours." Dee nudged him towards the bed. "Lie down, Slave."

Ryo looked at the bed. "I don't want to."

Dee laughed. "It doesn't matter what you want. You're a slave. A slave who's about to be punished."

"Punished for what? I haven't done anything wrong."

"Oh no? What do you call insulting your master, putting him in a wrestling hold, trying to escape, and disobeying every single order he has given you so far?"

"Um, defending myself?"

Dee gave him a hard look. "Slave. This is the last time I'm telling you. On the bed. Now."

Ryo regarded him mutinously for a moment, then lay down on the bed. He refused to look at Dee, instead directing his burning face at the wall.

"Turn over." Dee's voice was stern but Ryo acted like he hadn't heard him.

Dee took hold of one of Ryo's ankles and twisted it slowly and gently, but with strength, so that Ryo was forced to roll onto his belly. The loop of gold chain lay over his buttocks. Taking hold of it in the center, Dee drew it up toward the headboard, pulling Ryo's arms with it, so that his wrists were above his head.

Ryo noticed that Dee had a piece of blue silk in his hand. "Hey, is that the sash to my robe?"

"Silence, Slave." Dee used the sash to bind the gold chain to the brass curlicues of Ryo's headboard. Ryo obligingly struggled in response, and Dee stood back to admire his handiwork. His slave lay face down on the bed, gleaming manacles around his wrists and gold chains leading from them to the headboard. His blushing face was buried against his shoulder and the comforter, but after a moment, one bright dark eye peeped up at Dee apprehensively.

Ryo noticed that Dee was holding the whip-belt. It suddenly looked far more like a whip than it did like a belt. It was made of braided cords of brown leather, and gleamed a little with polish or wax. It was maybe four feet long, and tapered. A brown leather tassel hung from the tip of the whip, and a brass loop was affixed to the end of the handle. Ryo watched Dee's hands as they played with it. His partner had a little smirk on his face that was probably calculated to make him uncomfortable. Seeing Ryo's nervous gaze on the whip, Dee snapped it gently a couple of times.

"That's gonna sting, eh?" He raised his hand and whipped the air just above Ryo's buttocks. The loud crack made the slave flinch. _Bastard_, Ryo thought.

Hoping to delay the next part, he said, "Are you really going to whip me when I haven't even done anything?"

"Yeah," said Dee, shaking out the coils of the whip. "You've never learned the proper slave attitude, and that's why you're such a piss-poor slave. It's obviously my responsibility to teach you how to submit to your master."

-end of chapter four-

Author's notes: I'm a dreadful tease, I know. (And I probably deserve to be punished) And just to make things worse, I may not be able to post the next chapter in a week because I don't foresee having any free time to write in the next five days. Worst case scenario: Two weeks. However, if you want to read chapter 5, go to my LJ. Warning: It's a hot one. Not work safe. By the time it appears here, it will have been tamed down significantly. Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Slave to a Gladiator **

By Brit Columbia

_Chapter Five_

Fandom: Fake

Pairing: Dee and Ryo

Rating: Okay people, let me level with you here. This is a Hot Chapter…BUT I've taken out a large chunk of the sex because FanFiction(dot)net is not happy about sex scenes and I don't want to get banned. You can find the full-sex version on AFF, or that other place I'm always trying to get you to go to.

Spoilers: to Volume 7

Disclaimer: Sanami Matoh created these characters, not me. I was not paid in any way for the creation of this story.

Summary: A stern gladiator with a whip and a slave boy with much to learn in NYC. Read on for details!

Author's notes: And the whipping commences...Please read and review!

Thank you to mtemplar and moontatoo for beta-ing this.

**Slave to a Gladiator **

_**Chapter Five**_

Looking surprised, Ryo said, "Are you really going to whip me when I haven't even done anything?"

"Yeah," said Dee, shaking out the coils of the whip. "You've never learned the proper slave attitude, and that's why you're such a piss-poor slave. It's obviously my responsibility to teach you how to submit to your master." He leaned over Ryo and raised the skirt of his tunic so that it was no longer covering his buttocks. He tucked the tunic up under itself on Ryo's back, leaving his ass and legs bare. Ryo's face was bright red, but his perfectly shaped male buttocks were milky pale, even paler than his legs, which still held remnants of a summer tan. Dee grinned to himself, thinking that he would soon be turning those buttocks the same color as Ryo's face, that is, as long as his lover held off from uttering the safe word for a little while. He would have to be careful not to actually hurt him, though. A little sexy bum-warming preparatory to a good hard screwing was one thing, but pain, welts and resentment could kill an otherwise promising sex fantasy. It wouldn't hurt to spend a few minutes teasing his darling into a state of arousal, either.

He crawled onto the bed behind Ryo and pushed his thighs apart. The action caused Ryo's tightly clenched buttocks to separate as well. Dee paused to admire the view. He couldn't see Ryo's penis because it was under him, but he could see his testicles hanging down at the junction between his legs, underneath the puckered, dusky-pink entrance to heaven that had admitted him so many times before. However, that was in real life. In the game they were playing, he supposed his slave to be a virgin.

Ryo was uncomfortable with the scrutiny of his rear entrance. He really didn't like that part of himself to be examined. He didn't mind being touched there, but when Dee just looked without doing anything, he began to worry whether his last shower had been thorough enough (it had) and whether Dee was having second thoughts about whatever he had been thinking about doing. He also felt that people shouldn't just stare at other people's orifices. It was impolite, to say the very least.

"Stop looking at me there!" He squirmed his hips from side to side and tried to close his thighs. Dee didn't allow him to, however.

"A slave should be pleased when his master wants to look at him," Dee said. "Have you ever had a man's prick inside you before, Slave?"

Ryo felt a jolt of shocked excitement go through him at those words. "Of - of course not! I'm not...like that," he exclaimed and, trying for a disapproving tone, added, "Do all gladiators talk in that rude and coarse way?"

"Yep, we all do. Especially to slaves. And guess what? After I whip you, I'm gonna fuck you. Right here." He ran a finger down the crack of Ryo's ass and stopped directly on his anus. Ryo flinched and Dee watched his sweet little rosebud tighten up reflexively. He stroked it up and down, running his fingers in lazy circles all around it. His touch was light at first, but then got a little firmer. Dee noted that Ryo's breathing became heavier as he felt those insistent fingers pressing into the sensitive flesh of his inner buttocks and perineum. He could tell by the way Ryo was moving that his member was hard underneath him and that he was rubbing it against the bedclothes.

"Get your hands off me! Don't touch me in _that_ place…"

Ignoring him, Dee kept it up, pausing only to wet one of his fingers with spit before pushing it in a short way. He knew that would freak Ryo out, and he chuckled when his lover's body convulsed and his protestations renewed.

"What are you doing, for pete's sake? Stop that, stop it, stop it..." Suddenly Ryo lost the power of speech and emitted a low moan that went on for some time. Dee's finger had found his magic spot, and was stimulating it rhythmically. His other hand began gently caressing Ryo's testicles.

Ryo moaned again and Dee could feel his nether passage tightening and flexing against his intruding finger. Ryo's back was arched, and his buttocks were slightly raised as he writhed against Dee's hand. Dee could tell by the state of Ryo's breathing and the intensity of his movements, that he was very, very turned on. He leaned down and bit the flesh of Ryo's left buttock, sucking on it gently, knowing it would leave a little mark. "I'm marking you as mine, Slave. You are my property."

Dee decided it was time for the spanking. In his prior experience as both spanker and spankee, the process was generally more successful if the spankee was in a state of arousal at the start of the chastisement. And Ryo was definitely aroused. Dee suddenly withdrew his finger, and let go of Ryo's balls, which brought a small cry of protest from the prone man.

"I can give you pleasure or get on with the whipping," he said. "Which will it be?"

"Dee!" Although Ryo's voice was muffled by the blankets, the plaintive note in it was unmistakable.

"Er, that would be 'Master'," Dee corrected.

"I...I..." Ryo didn't know what to say. Bereft and frustrated, he ground his erect penis into the comforter, his body still throbbing with desire. He wanted Dee to resume what he had been doing, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. Maybe it was part of Dee's plan to hear the slave say it. A sudden feeling of dread struck him. He hoped Dee wouldn't expect him to talk dirty at any point in this game. He liked it when Dee did that, but he just couldn't imagine himself doing the same.

"Well? What do you want?"

"Um...I don't want a whipping, obviously," said Ryo, whose head was starting to clear a little. He hoped Dee wouldn't notice that he had sidestepped the issue of addressing him as 'Master'.

"Slave, I think you misunderstand me. I'm not offering you a choice between pleasure and a whipping. You're going to get the whipping anyway for being disobedient. I'm offering you a choice between pleasure first, followed by a whipping, followed by more pleasure, OR just a whipping, followed by a good hard fucking where the pleasure is mostly mine."

"What kind of choice is that?"

"You're a slave. You're lucky to have any kind of choice. Now, did you enjoy what I was doing to you just now, or not?"

Ryo was silent a moment. Then he thought he should say something, so he said, "How could I enjoy it? You're a _man_ and I'm...I'm not gay."

"I'm a man all right, baby, a man in his prime, and you're going to be thanking God for that little detail before we're done here today." Dee caressed the little bite mark he had left on his lover's left ass cheek, and smiled at the way Ryo's flesh seemed to leap at his touch. "Let me make things simple for you. If you can bring yourself to admit that deep inside your secret self, you love it when I grope you with my lecherous male hands and you're dying to take my cock up inside you, then I'll go easy on you with the whipping. Oh, and you also have to address me as 'Master'."

"You think I'm afraid of a whipping?" scoffed Ryo, who in reality was quite terrified. "Ha."

" 'Ha'? That's your answer: 'Ha'?"

Ryo couldn't trust his voice to respond, so he just kept silent and looked straight ahead at the wall. _Oh God, I hope it doesn't hurt too much, _he thought to himself. _I hope I don't embarrass myself._

"Very well then. It's time you learned to be afraid of the whip." Dee came forward and once more adjusted Ryo's tunic so that it was tucked up away from his buttocks. He picked up the whip from where he had laid it on the bed in Ryo's line of sight, and let it slither lewdly over the body of its intended victim a couple of times, even nudging at the cleft between his cheeks with the handle. Ryo felt himself starting to tremble, but whether it was from fear or excitement, he couldn't honestly say.

Dee looped up the whip so that it wasn't quite so long, and stood for a moment, looking at the pale, quivering buttocks before him. How pink would he be able to make them go before Ryo wanted him to stop? He was looking forward to finding out.

He swung his arm back and said, "Here it comes," noting with satisfaction that Ryo tensed up and buried his face in his shoulder. He obviously didn't want to look.

Dee brought the shortened whip down across Ryo's ass in a flogging motion, not too hard. Ryo's body recoiled and he exhaled as though he had been holding his breath. Dee waited a moment, and then struck him again, just as lightly, but slightly lower. Again he waited, before giving Ryo two more blows in rapid succession, the last one significantly harder than the first three. Ryo flinched and sucked in his breath, but otherwise made no sound. Dee paused and admired his handiwork as a light pink flush began to form on the ivory paleness of his cheeks. Not stripes; he wasn't hitting hard enough for stripes. Stripes tended to leave bruises and he was pretty sure Ryo wouldn't like that. He might leave him with one or two good welts later, if he seemed amenable. He fell into a rhythm of whipping Ryo lightly and quickly from close range with the shortened whip. He kept it moving all over Ryo's buttocks, keeping an eye on their deepening color and his lover's breathing.

For his part, Ryo was skating on a fine line between pleasure and pain. The light strokes Dee was using on him were not in themselves difficult to take. The problem was in the way that the heat and sensitivity was building up in the flesh of his buttocks. Each blow increased that heat and the level of discomfort. Certain places where Dee had criss-crossed several strokes were really starting to burn. He found himself beginning to squirm a little, twisting his hips from side to side in an effort to control where the whip landed.

"Slave, stop moving! It is up to your master to choose the location of each stroke, not you." Dee hoped Ryo would disobey him, though. He was really getting off on seeing that pink ass tossing and twitching in front of him.

"But it hurts," Ryo complained accommodatingly. He was acting for Dee's benefit, but he felt that it didn't hurt so much that he couldn't take it a little while longer. Just a _little_ longer.

Dee jerked the whip back behind him and then snapped it forward hard so that it cracked loudly in the air about two inches above Ryo's back. Ryo actually cried out in alarm, and then slumped in relief, his heart pounding, when he realized he had not really been struck. He suddenly felt very thankful that Dee didn't seem to want to hit him that hard. From the sound of it, the whip might do some damage if it was used full force.

"Slave, you will obey," Dee ordered. "You will keep your naughty, disobedient ass completely still and try to take your beating with a certain amount of dignity." He grinned as he said it. He had doubts about Ryo's ability to keep still, especially if he amped things up, as he was shortly going to do.

"I'll try," came Ryo's muffled voice.

"I'll try, _Master_." Dee cracked the whip violently above Ryo's thighs this time.

Ryo started and quickly said, "I'll try...Master." The last word was uttered so softly that it was barely audible.

Dee smiled and shortened the whip again, ready to resume Ryo's punishment. His slave was learning.

&

end of chapter 5

Author's notes: Thank you for reading! The next chapter will be hotter still, but it will probably be three, or maybe four weeks before I post it. (Sorry!) By the way, if anyone is feeling motivated to go out and buy a whip for any reason, please be aware that they are dangerous and can cause bleeding and scarring. Dee is being really careful NOT to cause Ryo any serious pain in this story, and he certainly doesn't want to wait miserably in the hospital emergency room while Ryo gets stitches.


	6. Chapter 6

**Slave to a Gladiator **

By Brit Columbia

_Chapter Six_

Fandom: Fake

Pairing: Dee and Ryo

Rating: Mature, I guess. The whipping continues. Sex has been taken out, but what's remaining is still stuff you really don't want your parents (no matter how old you are) or your boss to know you're reading! Everything sexy that happens in this chapter is between two consenting adults in a committed relationship, and who deeply love each other.

Spoilers: to Volume 7

Disclaimer: Sanami Matoh created these characters, not me. I was not paid in any way for the creation of this story.

Summary: A rebellious slave boy is taught to submit to the dark desires of whip-wielding gladiator in NYC.

Timing: This story is set in October of Dee and Ryo's first year together. It happens after Keep It Down.

Author's notes: Please read and review!

Thank you to mtemplar and moontatoo for beta-ing this.

**Slave to a Gladiator **

_Chapter Six_

Dee smiled and shortened the whip again, ready to resume Ryo's punishment. His slave was learning. He wondered if Ryo's dick was still hard. It was difficult to tell in the position he was in. Oh well, he'd find out shortly.

For his part, Ryo was thinking that it was almost time to say the safe word. He felt he had done his duty and now wanted to get on to the sex part of this fantasy of Dee's. It was difficult for him to be taken into arousal and then abandoned the way Dee had done right before he commenced the whipping. Not that it was an unpleasant experience, though... He was aware that Dee was being careful with him, and it wasn't as bad as he had feared. It was hurting less than he had imagined and was actually very sensual, not least for the level of trust that was required. However, he couldn't imagine that he would ever have consented to do this with anyone other than Dee. Dee had a way of making the most absurd, the most outrageous things, sexy.

At that moment, the whip fell across the crowns of his buttocks, harder than Dee had yet struck him, and he reared up, gasping with surprise, his chains rattling against the brass headboard. _Ow! _He didn't think he could manage another one of those. He turned his head towards Dee, exclaiming, "Master!"

Dee looked back at him with raised brows, very much in character as the autocratic master, although a betraying hint of concern showed in his manner. Ryo felt that Dee was asking him with his eyes whether he was still able to take it, or whether it was time to stop. Ryo held Dee's gaze for a few moments, slowly sucking his breath in through his teeth, while endorphins rushed to the site of the pain. It wasn't long before it died down to the vaguely pleasant burn he could already feel elsewhere on his heated buttocks. _Not yet,_ he thought to himself. _I won't say it just yet._ "Please stop, Master," was what he said instead.

Dee couldn't help grinning. That hadn't been the safe word. Ryo was giving him permission to go on. His partner's reaction to the concept of being chained up and whipped had surprised him; he had expected a flat-out refusal when they got to that part of the fantasy, but instead, Ryo had seemed guardedly curious and open to trying it.

"I'll think about it, Slave," Dee answered, and struck him again, the same strength as before, a little higher on Ryo's cheeks. Ryo hissed and Dee watched as he clenched his buttocks reflexively and pulled on his chains. But there was no protection for that pretty pink ass, not even a layer of fabric between it and the whip. Dee knew Ryo would have been trying to shield himself with his hands if they hadn't been bound. He was also aware that they were coming to the end. Ryo had given him a good run, but it wouldn't be long now before he said 'ice cream'.

"Slave, you're fidgeting again," Dee said warningly.

"That's because it _hurts_, 'Master'."

Dee frowned. Was that a faint note of sarcasm in his slave's voice? Insolence!

"I don't think it hurts enough, Slave. You don't appear to be learning your lesson." Dee hauled off and hit him again, angling the blow so that it fell diagonally over Ryo's beautiful struggling behind.

"Ow," gasped Ryo. "I...I..." He closed his eyes tightly as the pain peaked once more and then began to slowly recede, leaving traces of fire behind.

Although his lover had stopped short of saying the safe word, Dee understood he had had enough. He realized that Ryo would hold off from saying it for longer than was good for him, just so he could make the fantasy good for Dee. The younger man immediately put down the whip and leaned one knee on the bed, while pressing the palm of his hand firmly onto Ryo's ass, gripping first one cheek, then the other. They felt hot. Ryo pressed back eagerly against his hand. He was trembling slightly, looking anxiously over his shoulder at Dee.

Dee ran appreciative eyes over the picture Ryo made, from his softly tousled sun-streaked hair to the chiseled curves of his shoulders and biceps, straining in their bonds, the tapering lines of his taut back, still covered by his cream and gold tunic, and finally down to his rosy pink, well-spanked behind. "Beautiful," he murmured, and Ryo felt oddly comforted.

Dee reached over to the nightstand and removed a bottle of lubricant from its only drawer. He was aware that Ryo was watching him and would certainly know what that meant. It was time to find out if his baby was still in the mood for sex after getting his backside thoroughly flogged by a man he had been made to address as 'Master'. Although Dee had loved Ryo for years, he had only been banging him for about six months, and he still felt as though he had barely scratched the surface of his partner's sexual nature. He had learned that it was deep and complex, with an unexpected dark spot here and there.

Just thinking about what was on the menu next was causing his balls to tighten heavily between his legs. His erection was swelling inside the Calvin Klein briefs he had on under the tunic of his costume, and the way the stiff leather of his breastplate was chafing him reminded him that he really wanted to be naked. Tossing the lubricant onto the bed, he drew back from Ryo and started tugging at the buckles on one side of his breastplate. When he got them undone, he set the piece of armor on the chair in the corner, and quickly unbuckled his sword belt. His 'skirt' had a hidden zipper in the back; he undid it and let it drop to the floor, before stepping out of his briefs. Then, naked but for his sandals, he turned his attention back to Ryo.

Dee positioned himself so that both of his knees were on the bed between Ryo's legs. This meant he had to nudge apart Ryo's thighs. After a brief attempt to resist, the other man gave way, and allowed himself to be spread open so that once more his private rear entrance was on display. Dee grinned at the sight of his bright pink butt, still pale on the inner cheeks where the whip hadn't reached. He stroked both hands over the backs of Ryo's thighs and let them slowly travel up to his much warmer buttocks. The difference in temperature excited him. He was amazed and grateful that Ryo had consented to let him do this to him. In trust and in love, he had put himself into Dee's power and endured what had probably been the very first sensual spanking of his life. Now it remained to be seen whether he had been even a fraction turned on by it. Dee caressed his crack with firm fingertips, and was pleased to discover that his opening had retained some of the readiness he had left it with before the whipping. It was still slightly loosened from his earlier ministrations. He brought his fingers to his mouth and wetted them with his saliva before rubbing them firmly over Ryo's opening and beginning to prepare him.

"Aaaah!" cried Ryo and clamped down on him in surprise.

"Do you remember, Slave, what I said I was going to do to you after your punishment?" Dee started working carefully on Ryo, and reached under his lover's body with his other hand to fondle his erection. It was half erect, and rapidly getting harder. So it hadn't gone completely down during the whipping. That was good to know.

"Ah...Um...Ngh! ...Not exactly."

"I said I was going to fuck your pretty, virgin little ass, and that's exactly what I mean to do."

"Please don't, Master!"

Dee almost laughed out loud; Ryo's words were so at odds with the way his body was responding.

"Get on your knees, Slave," he murmured softly. "I wanna see your ass in the air." For once, his slave obeyed him without demur, obviously hoping for more attention to his sexy parts.

Dee didn't disappoint him. He used his tongue and then his lubricated fingers, keeping it up for quite some time, enjoying the way his lover tossed his head around helplessly on the pillow and emitted little noises of pleasure. Dee had big hands; his fingers were long and thick. He remembered back to the first time he had ever put a finger up inside Ryo. How startled his partner had been! It certainly hadn't been comfortable for him. But how quickly this beautiful, desirable man beneath him had adapted. None of Dee's previous male lovers had been quite so squeamish, so intimidated by the prospect of being penetrated. Dee was sure that this fear of Ryo's had been one of the main obstacles to their getting together. But once Ryo had surrendered, Dee had been able to show him how good it could be. Dee could still remember the expression of astonished delight on Ryo's face when he realized that although he was living his favorite nightmare - that of a man's large member buried deeply inside him - it felt fantastic. Neither of them had ever looked back.

"Oh...Goddammit...Ahhhhhmmm..." Ryo was panting and moaning again as sensation flooded his senses and danced along his nerve endings like a flame burning along a fuse. Dee was working his tightness, alternating fingers and mobile tongue, and oh, it was so good. If Dee kept this up, Ryo expected he really would lose control.

He was like a plane on the runway to orgasm, with Dee as the pilot. But once again, just before he achieved lift-off, the pilot sheered off course.

Dee let go of Ryo's heavy, throbbing penis, and raised his head from the sweet, musky valley between his buttocks, ignoring his lover's groan of despair. He had been teasing Ryo's tight but willing aperture for some time, and his experienced eye told him that it was now hungry for something bigger. God, he wanted to just throw the last of his plans aside and take the sexy man in front of him hard and fast. He knew that Ryo would not only welcome that, but would also yell and writhe and push back in that way he did when he had been seriously keyed up by extended foreplay or anticipation.

But first Dee had an ambition to hear his slave acknowledge that he really did want him, that he desired his touch, even though they were both men. Although Dee wouldn't have come out and admitted it to Ryo, the confession was an important component of the fantasy for him. The thought of this remaining item on his agenda helped him to summon the strength to not only resist Ryo's beautiful desirable body, but also the waves of need that were emanating off his lover like a siren call. Dee closed his eyes for a moment and opened them again when he felt Ryo shift on the bed. When he looked down, he saw that the little bastard had settled forward on the comforter and arrayed himself in as tempting a pose as Dee had ever seen in a porn magazine. He lay with one leg drawn up and bent, the other open and extended, and his back arched so that his buttocks jutted out in invitation. The position spread the cheeks of his ass and said _Please fuck me _very clearly, although without words. Ryo didn't say that kind of thing in words.

"Slave," said Dee, licking lips that had gone suddenly dry. "Despite what you said earlier, you're not acting as though you hate having sexual contact with me."

Ryo remained silent, watching Dee out of eyes that were half-closed in passion, but very bright against the flushed skin of his face. His lips were parted and he was panting softly. There was an ever so faint rhythmic movement of his hips as he rubbed his erection against the bed. It was all he could do, as his wrists were manacled, and there was no way he could touch himself.

"Answer me, Slave. If you have the courage to speak the truth, then say it. If not, then let me remind you that your body doesn't lie." Dee's voice hardened slightly, and he picked up the whip once more from where it lay on the bed between them and made sure Ryo could see it. "And whatever you have to say for yourself, make sure you don't forget to address me as 'Master'."

Ryo's bedroom eyes widened slightly at the sight of the whip and then went to Dee's face. Damn the man. He was going to try to make him talk dirty before anyone got any satisfaction. Ryo was so frustrated, he felt like he could scream. He pulled experimentally at the chains, wondering if he could break them.

"Dee, um, I mean 'Master', w-what do you expect me to say?"

"The truth. I'm a man. So are you. Do you want me or not?"

"Master," whispered Ryo, lowering his eyes, relieved. Dee just wanted an admission of desire; he hadn't said anything about making his slave beg for specific acts of pleasure. Ryo opened his mouth to speak, even took a breath, but to his surprise, nothing came out. Why did it have to be so hard to admit what was only, as Dee said, the truth? Surely he could do this. He cursed the shyness that always came over him during moments of intimacy, and called upon the strength that he knew he had within him

"Master," he said again, "I...I've been lying to you."

"Oh?" Dee folded his arms and waited.

"I told you I wasn't attracted to you...that I only liked women."

"That's right, you did."

"Well...even though you're a...a man, when you look at me, I...I feel strangely excited. I almost can't breathe." Ryo raised his eyes to Dee's. "When I look at you, I see beauty. You are..." Ryo's face felt almost painfully hot. "You are...really... the most beautiful human being I have ever seen."

Dee stared at him, amazed. This was so much more than he had expected from his normally non-romantic partner. The most he had hoped for had been something along the lines of, 'Against my will, I find you somewhat attractive, Master.'

"Baby!" he said, feeling his own face getting as pink as Ryo's. He was temporarily bereft of speech.

"So, ehrm...Master...What now?" Ryo shifted a little on the bed, tilting his buttocks up even higher in invitation.

Grinning wickedly at him, Dee picked up the discarded bottle of lubricant. He poured some along the length of his erection and began stroking it up and down until it glistened wetly. Ryo stared at it with unmistakable hunger.

"This is the next part of your training, Slave," said Dee in a husky voice that revealed the extent of his desire. "I'm going to teach you how to please your master with that shy, virgin little back door of yours. Do you want to learn? Are you ready to be a good slave, now?"

"Yes, Master. Please... Please teach me."

-end of chapter 6-


	7. Chapter 7

**Slave to a Gladiator**

By Brit Columbia

_Chapter Seven_

Fandom: Fake

Pairing: Dee and Ryo

Rating: Mature because I took out 50 percent of the sex! That also shortened the chapter rather a lot. If you want to read the longer, hotter chapter, you can either go to my livejournal or read it on AFF.

Spoilers: to Volume 7

Disclaimer: Sanami Matoh created these characters, not me. I was not paid in any way for the creation of this story.

Summary: A rebellious slave boy is taught to submit to the dark desires of gladiator with a whip in NYC.

Author's notes: Please read and review

Thank you to mtemplar, moontatoo and LadyFeather for beta-ing this.

This chapter is dedicated to the wit and naughtiness of JDR1184! If you want to see why, scroll back to chapter 6 of this story on my LJ and see the fabulously funny macro she made to illustrate it! I guarantee you'll fall off your chair laughing. There's another one in the comments of chapter 7, too.

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_Chapter Seven_

"This is the next part of your training, Slave," said Dee in a husky voice that revealed the extent of his desire. "I'm going to teach you how to please your master with that shy, virgin little back door of yours. Do you want to learn? Are you ready to be a good slave, now?"

"Yes, Master. Please... Please teach me."

Dee, as the stern master of a formerly rebellious slave, taught him what it meant to receive a hard male shaft deep inside his body. At some point, the slave subtly took control from his master, pushing back on him and demanding more. Ryo's tight grip on Dee's member sent his master spiraling headlong into a climax that defeated all his efforts to stay in control, and not long after that, Ryo followed him in a blaze of pleasure.

"Did you like that, Slave? Did it feel good?" Dee spoke against Ryo's neck, nipping him lightly for punctuation.

"Yes," Ryo murmured thickly. "It was good. Very good." He wriggled his buttocks experimentally against Dee's groin. "You're still hard," he remarked in some surprise.

"Yeah."

"Me too."

"I noticed." Dee kept moving gently inside Ryo.

"Um...Are you going to pull out?"

"Only if you really, really want me to." Dee pulled half his length out, then thrust back in again all the way, grinning at the way Ryo shuddered.

"Oh! Dee...D-do that again..."

"Call me 'Master'."

"Master...More, plea - _Master!_ Oohhhhh...Yes, yes..."

And so began the second round, altogether slower and more tender than the first. They paused only to allow Ryo to turn over onto his back, the chain loop clanking against the headboard as he did so. When Ryo had gotten himself arranged into a comfortable position on his back, Dee wiped his sticky hand off on the comforter to make sure that he would be able to touch Ryo with it later. Then he knelt between his lover's spread legs, lifting his slave's buttocks with masterful hands before sliding back inside him. Ryo was loving it; Dee could see by the expression on his flushed and heavy-lidded face. He usually needed a rest between bouts of sex, but not this time. It had to be the novelty of the fantasy.

As was his preference, Dee rode Ryo with his right hand braced on the mattress, his left hand free to caress Ryo's right leg, which was hooked over his shoulder. Actually, he caressed whichever parts of Ryo he could reach, occasionally switching bracing hands to let his fingers roam up Ryo's sides under the thoroughly wrinkled and damp slave tunic, over his chest, onto his shoulders and all the way up his arms to where the manacles held his wrists. He reached for Ryo's hair, stroking his cheekbones and jaw before finally turning his lover's face to his own for a kiss. Ryo moved his mouth aside, deflecting the kiss at the last moment, which surprised Dee until he remembered what he had been doing earlier. His partner didn't approve of rimming and wouldn't usually let him do it, although he always ended up getting right into it on those rare occasions when Dee was able to finagle permission. Ryo also wouldn't allow kissing afterward, but today he was going to, God damn it.

"Slave," Dee said sternly, hearing his breath in his voice. "You will deny your master nothing. You have submitted your body to me; you have placed your trust in my hands. Now give me your mouth."

Ryo's eyes looked up at him, passionate pools of midnight in the perfection of his face. An adorable little frown appeared between his brows, and he opened his mouth to speak. Dee killed both the little frown and the unspoken words by hitching Ryo's hips toward him on a slow, deep in-thrust. Ryo's lips parted wider to cry out, but Dee moved down toward him, and somehow the cry turned into a kiss. Dee took his mouth hungrily, and after a momentary hesitation, Ryo returned the kiss with desire and pleasure, no doubt figuring that once he was in for a penny, he might as well be in for a pound.

It was in the middle of the seventh or eighth kiss that Ryo's body suddenly began to give off those unmistakable signs that heralded an imminent orgasm. Dee sped up in response and began giving it to him deeper, smitten with the way Ryo's panting breaths started turning into urgent moans.

This time, his orgasm took him just as he brought Ryo off. He could feel the liquid rush of Ryo's second climax pulsing in time with his own, and the two men groaned and writhed against each other. When it was over, Dee collapsed on Ryo, nuzzling his neck and holding him tightly as both of their heart rates slowed down and returned to normal.

Although Ryo often fell asleep for a short time after sex, today he felt it was impossible. For one thing, his arms were tired from being in one position for so long, and for another, he couldn't wait to get out of the soiled and sweaty slave costume that was bunched up uncomfortably under him. He gave Dee a couple more minutes to recover, before nudging him with one foot.

"Hey," he said. "Are you still alive?"

"That's 'Are you still alive, _Master_', you unromantic cad," Dee grumbled and shifted a bit.

"Come on, get off me. And get these manacles off me, too. The fantasy is over, and I seriously need a shower." Ryo pulled impatiently on his chains, rattling them noisily against the brass of his headboard.

"Oh all right." Dee raised himself up on his elbows and kissed Ryo's forehead, before getting off the bed. "But I'm gonna need some more 'togetherness' after we have showers, you know." He stepped over to the dresser to retrieve the keys to the manacles.

"Sure, whatever, as long as it's not messy. Dee, hurry up. What's taking so long?" Ryo jangled his chains again and looked over at his partner.

"Oops."

The rattling stopped abruptly. "What do you mean 'oops'?" There was a distinct edge to Ryo's voice.

"Uh, don't worry, love. It's just...I could have sworn I left the key on the dresser, and now it's not there. It probably fell on the floor."

Dee dropped down out of Ryo's sight onto his hands and knees and started scrabbling around.

"Dee Laytner, if you don't find that key in ten seconds flat, I swear I'll - "

"You'll what?" Dee couldn't resist popping back up and giving Ryo a mischievous look. "Is this the part where you remind me that even though you're wearing a miniskirt and are chained to a bed with not one but TWO loads of cum up your ass, you're still a dangerous man?"

Leaning his elbows on the bed, he smirked at Ryo's furiously blushing face and clenched teeth, so pleased with his own wit that it caught him by surprise when Ryo's right foot swung out in a lightning-fast and astonishingly well-executed roundhouse kick, all things considered. It connected rather painfully with his shoulder, sending him crashing sideways into the dresser.

"OW!" he yelled from the floor. "Ryo, you bastard, I think you just dislocated my shoulder!"

"No I didn't," Ryo informed him peevishly, "because then you would've been in too much pain to be able to focus on finding the damn key. Now quit whining and get me out of these chains!"

Just then the phone rang. Dee got up rubbing his shoulder, and reached for it. "MacLean residence," he said, glaring balefully at Ryo. "Oh, hi there, Sea Hag. Do you need to borrow a broomstick? Or maybe a mop to clean up the mess you've made of your life?"

Dee held the phone at arm's length while Diana gave him a loud and somewhat profane piece of her mind, which ended with a demand to speak to Ryo. Dee brought the phone back to his ear and shot Ryo a wink as he said, "Sorry, but Ryo's kinda tied up right now. But you're in luck because _**I'm**_ available to help you with your no-doubt pathetic little problem, as long as you keep it short and sweet and don't bore the piss outta me."

He balanced the handset against his shoulder, saying, "Uh-huh," several times as he untied the blue silk bathrobe belt that held Ryo pinned to the headboard by the length of chain between his gold manacles. When he had done so, Ryo sat up, flexing his arms.

"Sorry," said Dee into the phone. "I'll ask him, but I'm pretty sure he's gonna say no. He doesn't wanna appear in public in his costume."

Ryo's ears pricked up at that, and he frowned at Dee.

Dee put his hand over the mouthpiece and said, "It's Diana. She's insisting that we put in an appearance at her party."

Ryo put his hands on his hips and gave Dee a hard look. "I thought you said there wasn't any party."

"Well, there wasn't any _important_ party!" The expression on Ryo's face was making Dee feel defensive. "The party was just a Plan B if you didn't go for Plan A..." He trailed off sheepishly and placed the phone into Ryo's outstretched hand.

"Diana, am I to understand that you're having a party and that Dee knew about it?" He paused and then said, "Well, next time you should tell me and not him, because we seem to have gotten our wires crossed here. I mean, first he told me there was a party and he even went and got costumes, but then he told me there WASN'T a party, so I'm feeling a little confused."

Dee, who had gone back down on the floor, was pretending to be engrossed in searching for the key, but he was actually listening carefully to Ryo's side of the conversation so that he could get an accurate idea of how much trouble he was about to be in.

"No, I'm sorry," said Ryo to Diana. It's too short notice. We couldn't possibly get there in half an hour. Besides, my costume is totally inappropriate, as you can probably imagine, considering who chose it." He directed a resentful look at Dee, who affected not to notice, but was privately thinking that Ryo's costume had been a lot more appropriate BEFORE they had covered it with lube and sex juice.

"What?" cried Ryo. "Diana, you wouldn't!"

Dee listened attentively.

"I can't believe you would do something patently _illegal_ just to get us to come to your party!"

Dee peered under the bed, shaking his head at his partner's naivety. It had been almost three years, and Ryo was just NOW noticing how ruthless the Sea Hag was? All the same, he was dying to know what Diana was threatening him with. He hoped that whatever it was would make Ryo end up being more pissed off at Diana than at him.

"Diana, if you tell the Commissioner that I have those fantasies about him, it'll make no end of trouble for me, do you realize that?"

Dee's body jerked and he struck his head on the metal bed frame. "OW!" he yelled, crawling out in a hurry, rubbing his head and looking angrily at Ryo.

"Are you okay?" Ryo asked him, but Dee didn't think he looked terribly sympathetic.

"Never mind that! What's that crazy bitch planning? Tell me right now! In fact, give me the goddamn phone!"

Ryo turned away from him, saying, "You hear that, Diana? Every kind of trouble." There was a pause, and then he said, "All right then, I guess you have me over a barrel. Which hotel?" He slapped away Dee's hand from the phone and added, "We'll see you in an hour. I'll figure something out." Then he hung up and turned back to Dee. "Did you stop looking for the key?" he asked accusingly.

"No, I got it here. It was under the bed. What the hell's going on? What did that Evil Woman say about the Commish?"

"She said she hasn't had a good turnout for her party and she needs more bodies or she's going to lose face for some reason. If we don't show up there, she's going to tell the Commissioner that I once drunkenly confessed to her that I fantasize about being alone in a hot tub with him."

"You WHAT?" Dee was so shocked that the key fell out of his hand and once more landed somewhere on the carpet.

"Dee, it is absolutely not true!" Ryo rolled his eyes, exasperated. "She's prepared to lie to him if I don't do what she wants. Now pick up that key before it disappears again. For crying out loud, I don't know where you get off calling ME an airhead all the time."

Dee straightened up and handed him the key, which had been easier to find this time. "What was that part about something illegal, then?"

"Get this - she'll not only tell him I have fantasies about him, but she promised to use her best trainee FBI cyber-crime guy to hack into my computer and send the Commissioner a romantic email, allegedly from me! Can you believe that?"

"Yeah," said Dee grimly. "That hellcat plays hardball. She'll totally do it, too."

"So it looks like we're going to a party, whether we want to or not. But I'm sure YOU'RE happy about that."

"What? No way! I don't wanna go to her stupid party."

"Yeah, right." Ryo unlocked the manacles and thrust them at Dee. "Don't tell me you didn't plan this whole thing."

"Ryo! What are you talking about?"

"You told me there was no party - that you went to all that trouble with the costumes just for me." Ryo strode to the door and snatched his robe off the hook.

"It's not like that, sweetheart - "

"I should have known better than to believe you. You lie like a rug; always have, always will." Ryo disappeared in the direction of the bathroom, with Dee scurrying close behind him, protesting weakly.

"Ryo, I wasn't lying, well not technically -"

"Save it. You obviously made Diana think we were coming to her party. She said you promised! So now she's calling us on it and making damn sure we go."

"Baby, I - "

"And then you made up that crap about your 'special fantasy', when really it was all about getting a quickie in before the party, wasn't it? Dee Laytner, this is the LAST time I fall for one of your tricks!" Ryo slammed the bathroom door in Dee's face.

Dee didn't think it would be a good time to remind Ryo that he said that at least once a month, and then always fell for the next one. Instead, what he said was, "It wasn't crap, Ryo, about the fantasy; come on please believe me."

"Like hell," snapped Ryo through the closed door. "You pretended it meant something to you, and that's why I went through with it. But all you wanted was to get laid, even if it meant making a fool of me."

_Here comes trouble_, Dee thought. It sounded like his partner was feeling embarrassed about what he had consented to in the bedroom. He had to make this right, and fast. He absolutely couldn't stand the thought that his beloved Ryo might be eaten up with shame and regret.

Grasping the doorknob, he tried the door, and to his relief, Ryo hadn't locked it yet. Rushing into the bathroom, he fetched up behind his partner, who was standing at the sink. Ryo's outraged eyes met his in the mirror.

"What are you doing in here? Get out, this minute!"

"No. Not until you listen to me." Dee's voice was calm, and there was something in his eyes that halted the flow of Ryo's bitter thoughts. When he felt Dee's arms come around him from behind, he tensed for a minute, but didn't struggle much.

"Please listen, okay? I need you to know something. It's important that you understand, okay?" Dee kissed the side of Ryo's neck and stroked his chest gently. Ryo's face was averted, but Dee felt the fight go out of him.

"All right, just hurry up and say it, whatever it is. I don't think I've ever wanted a shower more in my life."

"I don't want you thinking that what we did in the bedroom today was meaningless to me. It wasn't just about getting laid, although I will admit that I love having sex with you whenever I can get it."

"Dee - "

"Shh, baby. Let me finish. You submitted to me today. You trusted me, you let me whip you and treat you like a slave..."

Ryo slumped slightly in his arms and wouldn't meet his eyes. Dee continued to stroke him with tenderness. "You liked it, didn't you? You rose to the occasion. You gave me your desire, along with your trust. You got hot for me, you responded. You know what that tells me?"

Ryo was silent.

"It tells me that you love me, as much as I love you. That you would do anything for me, the way I would for you." He kissed Ryo's neck again and let his lips linger there, breathing in his scent, and hoping Ryo could feel the affection in his touch. "There are a thousand ways to say 'I love you'. When you agreed to wear those chains and this costume and let me do whatever I wanted to you, you entered into it with your whole heart. You said 'I love you' loud and clear with your actions. Please don't ever feel bad about loving me, okay?" He shook him a little. "Okay, Ryo?"

Ryo lifted his eyes to Dee's in the mirror. He looked relieved, and even a little bit grateful. When he raised his hands and put them over Dee's where they rested on his body, Dee knew that everything was going to be all right. He gave Ryo a squeeze, and felt a flood of happiness run through him when Ryo squeezed back.

A minute later, Ryo wriggled his buttocks a little against Dee. "What the hell is that?"

Dee rubbed it against him. "It's a sign of love, dork."

"I don't believe this! Was two times not enough for you?" Ryo started to pull away from him.

"It's never enough," Dee murmured against his shoulder, pulling him back. "I don't think I'll ever, as long as I live, get enough of you."

"Come on, Dee, let go of me. We've got a party to go to, whether we like or not."

"Oh all right." Dee reluctantly released Ryo and allowed himself to be pushed out of the open bathroom door. "Hey," he said, a hopeful thought striking him. "Can we take a shower together?"

"No," said Ryo, "'cause I know where that'll lead." He shut the door in Dee's face for the second time, but then opened it again a moment later. "Was... Was that really your all-time number one fantasy?" he asked shyly.

Dee hesitated a moment too long, and saw Ryo's face change. The door closed firmly in front of him. "Sure it is, babe," he called through the door. "Well, top five, anyway..." He stood there, wondering if he was in trouble again, but unable to help grinning wickedly to himself, as he thought about the other four fantasies. Thirty seconds later, the door opened once more and a bundle of fabric hit him in the face. He caught it in his hands and looked down at it. It was the soiled slave costume. Dee being Dee, he immediately started thinking that this almost certainly meant that his partner would now be naked behind the door, so he nearly missed what Ryo said next.

"Since it's not your _number one_ fantasy, then I'm sure you won't mind changing roles for the party. I'm gonna be the gladiator, and _you_ can be the goddamn slave. If you hand-wash that thing quickly and stick it in the dryer, it should be just about dry by the time we have to leave."

Dee's mouth dropped open. "B-but Ryo - " he began, and then gave up as the door shut for the last time and he heard the click of the lock. Uh-oh. Now he was in for it.

-end of chapter seven-

Additional author's notes: The chapters are getting longer! Actually my motivation for this one was to have something to post on FF dot net. I realized that if I ended it in the place I had originally planned, there would barely be any chapter left once I had edited out most of the sex for that site. See? I'm always thinking about my readers and fellow Fake fans. Chapter 8 is up at my LJ, and I'm afraid this is the last chapter you're going to see from this story until the fall. Slave to a Gladiator is set in October of Dee and Ryo's first year together, so the party is really a Halloween party. I'm going to start posting again in early October. There's more to come, and I solemnly promise that I will finish this story. I'm about to leave on a two week vacation, and when I come back I want to work on Fake First Year Together: A New Day (May) and get that story finished.

Thank you very much for reading this story.


	8. Chapter 8

**Slave to a Gladiator**

By Brit Columbia

_Chapter Eight_

Fandom: Fake

Pairing: Dee and Ryo

Rating: Teen. The naughtiness is over for now. Worksafe.

Spoilers: to Volume 7

Disclaimer: Sanami Matoh created these characters. They are not mine. I was not paid in any way for the creation of this story.

Summary: A gladiator enters into negotiations over costume details with his slave, while getting ready to attend a Halloween party in NYC.

Timing: Set in October of Ryo and Dee's first year together. This story takes place after Keep It Down.

Author's notes: I believe in a strong and equal Ryo and Dee, even when they're playing with whips and chains.

Thank you to Mtemplar, Moontatoo, and Ladyfeather for beta-ing this.

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_Chapter 8_

"I dunno," said Dee doubtfully as he looked over the slave tunic that had just come out of the dryer. "I think it shrunk."

"Quit making excuses," said Ryo impatiently. He was trying to tighten the buckles on the leather breastplate of the gladiator costume.

"No, really, it's smaller. Look at this."

Ryo looked up from the breastplate fastenings and discovered that Dee was indeed correct. He had the costume on, but just barely. It was straining at the seams of the shoulder and chest.

"Ryo, I can hardly breathe. Look, I can only lift my arms to here!"

Ryo sighed in annoyance. "You! You did this on purpose!" he accused.

"How could I? YOU were the one who said to put it in the dryer. Even though this thing didn't really fit me before, I was willing to wear it. But now it's impossible."

Ryo rolled his eyes. "I might have known this would happen. All right, take it off."

"Disappointed?" Dee smiled suggestively at Ryo. "I would have been a reeeeeal obedient slave, you know."

"Hmph. I'm sure your ideas and my ideas of appropriate slave duties are totally different." Ryo consulted his watch. "What are we going to do about the costumes then? We're already running late. Diana's going to be cranky."

"Who cares if that witch is cranky? She spends the better part of every day being cranky about something or other. We're damn lucky she doesn't live in New York." Dee struggled out of the tight slave tunic and tossed it onto the bed. "Hey, have you got something else that I could use as a costume?"

Ryo gestured at the closet and said sarcastically, "Oh sure. I've got tons of costumes left over from my former careers in the theater and the circus. Help yourself."

"No need to get all snarky. I was just thinking that if we got creative, we could come up with something."

"Like what?"

"I don't really know, but maybe with a little glue and a little imagination..."

"There's no time, Dee." Ryo sighed.

"Well...Now don't freak on me for suggesting this, but I remember that the slave tunic was a tad big on you before we washed it. I bet you could still fit into it."

"Dee, I already told you I wasn't going to appear in public in that thing! Just forget it."

"Okay, sure, whatever. It's just that switching costumes would solve our problem quickly, that's all. Then we could hit Diana's party and make nice over drinks before getting the hell out of there and coming back home in time for the nine o'clock news." Dee tried to look and sound casual, hoping against hope that Ryo wouldn't suddenly remember that it was fairly easy to make a Roman toga out of a white sheet.

"Hmm..." Ryo frowned at the slave tunic, his lower lip between his teeth. "Maybe if I wore it with jeans..."

"Jeans! Come on now, nobody wore jeans in Roman times."

"Well, I'm certainly not showing that much skin to a bunch of strangers. I told you I wasn't going out like this in public, and I meant it. IF I wear this thing, it'll be with jeans, or not at all," Ryo retorted firmly.

"Aw, baby, you'll never see any of these people again. Just once, couldn't you...?"

"Dee, have you even considered that the Commissioner might be there? There's no way I'm going to let HIM see me like this."

"As a matter of fact, I HAVE considered it, and no he won't be there. Diana was bitching yesterday about how he had blown off her party in favor of staying an extra day in DC. Hell, if it was up to me, I'd tell him to stay an extra month."

"Well, Rose or no Rose, I'm still wearing my jeans."

"Okay, if you say so. Try it on again with _jeans_ and we'll see how dorky that looks." Dee folded his arms and waited, one eyebrow raised.

Ryo took off the gladiator breastplate and tried on the newly washed slave tunic. It was just a little tight on him, but it basically fit. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Dee unfold his arms and move a step closer. He seemed to be getting excited all over again, which made Ryo think that the sooner he got some jeans on the better. The briefs he had put on after his shower wouldn't offer much protection against a determined Dee.

"Sweetheart, I totally love you in that thing." Dee stretched out a hand toward Ryo, who gave him a stern look and stepped back out of his reach. The younger man understood what that look meant, and took it in stride. "It fits better than before," he added. "It used to be looser in the waist, but now it's perfect. Shows off your chest better, too."

Ryo took a look in the mirror. "At least it didn't shrink lengthwise," he said. "If this tunic was any shorter, it would qualify as a tee-shirt." He opened a drawer and sifted through his jeans until he found the pair he wanted, a slightly faded pair of button-fly Levis. He pulled them on under his tunic and did them up, while resolutely not looking at Dee.

"Good enough," he said, checking his reflection in the mirror.

"Good enough? You look like a hippie," Dee complained.

"Better than looking like a slave with my butt practically on display."

Dee sighed. "I LIKE it when your butt is practically on display. I don't understand why a gorgeous man like you always wants to cover up. If you've got it, flaunt it, I always say."

"Dee, have you forgotten what we've recently been doing?"

"Dude, how on earth could I forget something like that?"

"Think about it, then. I have to cover up. Not only is my butt still bright pink, but... there's the other thing, too."

"Huh? What other thing?"

"We just had _sex_, dimwit. With ME on the bottom! Perhaps you'll understand why I want to have a couple of layers on."

"All the more reason not to have layers!" Dee grinned wickedly. "Come on, don't you think that's just the slightest bit hot?"

"No, I certainly do not," snapped Ryo. "And neither would you if it had been YOU who got five gallons of – of -"

"Yes?" prompted Dee.

"Oh, never mind. You know what I mean. And I'm definitely wearing both underwear and jeans, so you might as well stop bugging me about it."

Dee sulked for a moment, but then his eyes brightened with hope as another idea took form in his mind.

"What now?" said Ryo warily.

"Baby, how about wearing just the jeans and not the underwear?

"No! I know YOU do that all the time, but I personally think it's more hygienic for people to wear underwear under their jeans.'

"Won't you even think about it?"

"No, and stop bugging me. I'm wearing underwear and that's final."

"Okay, okay, I accept that you're determined to wear both jeans AND underwear. But...dude, could you please do me one itty bitty harmless little favor?"

"That depends."

"Could you please wear...this?" Dee held out a skimpy black thong.

"What the hell is that? It's tiny! I can't believe you wear underwear like that, Dee, for Pete's sake."

"It's not mine, Ryo. It's yours."

"No it's not. I've never seen it before in my life."

"Yes you have. Remember that Beachwear and Lingerie party that Diana suckered us into attending?"

"Uhh...yeah." Ryo winced at the memory. "But I don't recall buying anything, and even if I had, I certainly wouldn't have bought anything like that."

"This was a party favor, dude. Remember how we all had to pop a balloon? Well, this thong was in yours. You tried to stuff it down the side of the couch, but I fished it out and brought it home." Dee stretched it in front of Ryo. "Look! It's stretchy. It covers more than you think. It feels pretty nice too. It's one of those silky microfibers."

Ryo took it in his hand and stretched it himself. "I don't know..."

"Come on, don't be a spoilsport. Just try it on! If it doesn't fit, we'll forget all about it. Just show me how you look in it, that's all. I've never seen you in anything quite so skimpy."

"You've seen me naked."

"Yes, and a beautiful sight that always is. But, you know what I mean. We're both guys. Sometimes a guy likes to see a sexy bod that's encased in some sexy undies. Is that so hard to understand?"

Ryo sighed in exasperation. "Dee, I don't know how you always do this to me." To his partner's delight, he started to undo his jeans. "I'm beginning to think maybe Bikky was right when he said you should be a car salesman. You could sell ice to Eskimos."

"Nah." Dee sighed. "If I could sell ice to Eskimos, you'd be attending the party with no jeans OR underwear."

&

-end of Chapter Eight-

Additional author's notes: Chapter Nine is on my livejournal already, if you'd like to read it now. The address is in my profile. On Halloween night, I'll post Chapter Nine on FF dot Net and Chapter Ten on my LJ. I will also be posting an unrelated lemon one-shot on my LJ this weekend. It will never appear on FF dot Net because it's too damn hot, and would only get me in trouble.

Thank you for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_By Brit Columbia_

Chapter Nine

Fandom: Fake

Pairing: Dee and Ryo

Rating: Teen. The naughtiness is over for now. But more is on the way…

Spoilers: to Volume 7

Timing: Set in October of Dee and Ryo's first year together. It happens after Keep It Down.

Disclaimer: Sanami Matoh created these characters, not me. I was not paid in any way for the creation of this story.

Summary: A Halloween party, a gladiator, a slave, and a bunch of costumed supporting characters. Let the silliness begin!

Author's notes: If you like it, let me know.

Thank you to **mtemplar**, **moontatoo**, and **the_ladyfeather** for beta-ing this.

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_Chapter 9_

Diana met them at the door of the function room she had rented for her party, all squeals, smiles and plunging décolletage. She was dressed quite charmingly like one of the goddesses in the Greek pantheon. Ryo guessed Artemis by the bow and arrows she wore slung on her back. On her feet were high heeled, gold strappy sandals that laced up her calves.

"Boys! So glad you could make it. Come on in and meet the gang!" Sweeping a dramatic arm out, she indicated a sparsely-populated room of mostly females. Under her breath she huffed, "You're late!"

"Sorry," said Ryo, "but we - "

"The point is we're here, toots," interrupted Dee, thrusting a bottle of wine at her. "Where should I put this?"

"I'll show you," she said, beaming a big, dazzling fake smile in his direction. "But first, don't I get a kiss?" She stood on tiptoe and pointed to her cheek.

Ryo obliged immediately, but Dee had to be nudged. Diana took them both by the arm and led them into a corner between two vine-draped pillars where a table was set up with bottles, ice and glasses. Looking furtively over her shoulder, she leaned in and whispered, "Okay, here's the drill. I want to make two guys jealous, so I need to look like a hot property on the dating market. You two are going to help me, right?"

While Ryo was assuring her they would do their best, Dee picked up a corkscrew and started opening his bottle. "Hot property? Sweetheart, even the entire PR department of the FBI couldn't help you there. In fact - AAGH!" He nearly dropped the bottle as Diana trod upon the bare toes of his sandaled foot.

"Dee, sweetie, when you're done hopping around in that adorable way, come with me for a moment," Diana said brightly. "I just want to explain something to you, okay?"

He looked at her warily. "All right, but I'm bringing this," he said, brandishing the corkscrew defensively in front of his body. "You and your damn stilettos just keep your distance, got it?"

Diana giggled and lightly smacked his arm for the benefit of a couple of mildly interested faux-convicts that were passing nearby. Then she tugged him over to a large potted plant and hissed, "Listen up, Neanderthal. I don't wanna have to pull out my bag of threats here, because I'd rather have your cooperation, but I will if I have to. Do you understand?"

"Too late, Sea Hag. You already pulled out your bag of threats for poor Ryo, and I see you're not above committing acts of violence on ME," Dee complained, rubbing his sore foot against the calf of his other leg. "Why don't you try honey instead of vinegar for a change?"

"Well, that just happens to be exactly what I wanted to talk to you about," she said, giving him a small but wicked smile. "Let's start with your partner. He sure looks cute in his costume, doesn't he?" She jerked her head in Ryo's direction, where he was pouring wine for a busty redhead in a sixties Star Trek outfit.

At the sight, Dee stiffened and narrowed his eyes. "Your point?"

"My point is that he'd look a whole lot cuter in that tunic if he wasn't wearing jeans. Gayer, too. The girls would probably lose all hope of dragging him into bed with them."

Dee turned his head and grinned at her in surprise. "Diana, you're a mind-reader," he said.

"Yeah I am, a lot of the time, actually, for all the good it's done me."

"So what do you propose? How are you going to get him to take off his jeans? He wouldn't take them off for me."

"Oh, I'm not going to get his jeans off him. That's your job. I'm just here to aid and abet."

"Huh?"

"Smile at me and try to kiss me right now," she snarled through lips that to all outward appearances seemed to be curved in a seductive grin.

Dee obliged, putting an arm around her and trying to kiss her neck while she squealed breathlessly and pretended to fight him off.

"Aw, come on, Diana, why not? You let Ryo kiss you," he complained loudly, then added under his breath, "How'm I doing?"

"Not bad," she whispered and then added with more volume, "You bad boy. Maybe later. Now don't muss my hair." She patted it back into place, while pretending not to notice a handsome man dressed as a rugby player who was frowning in their direction from across the room.

"Back to Ryo's jeans," Dee reminded her.

"Oh right. Well, you find a way to get him to want to take them off. Put ice in his pants, or burn a hole in them with one of your filthy cigarettes or something. My job is to make them disappear for a while. I'll have the concierge whisk them off for cleaning or replacement or whatever is called for. I'll also ply him with my famous extra-strength blueberry 'tea', if you think that'll help."

"I dunno. I don't want him passing-out drunk, you know."

"Don't worry--_one_ won't make him pass out. I'll even throw in access to a sweet little private alcove that's hidden behind the curtain next to the coat check area. There's a sofa in there that you could molest him on if you think you can get him to go for that." She regarded him with a knowing expression.

Dee looked at her as a criminal might look at his accomplice, and tried not to grin. "And what's in it for you?"

"Flirt with me, Casanova. Pull out all the stops. Live up to that legendary reputation of yours. I don't want anything half-hearted. There's a man over there that I'm trying to hook, and I want him to see that hot guys are into me."

"Why Diana! Are you telling me you find me hot?" Dee pushed his hair out of his eyes, unable to resist smirking.

Her eyes swept over him in frank appraisal. "Yeah. Right up until the moment when you open your mouth, that is."

Dee shrugged. "What about Ryo?"

"Oh, he'll be in on it, of course. We just won't tell him the parts about the jeans and the molestation, that's all. I'll ask him to flirt with me too, but to be frank, Ryo sucks at chasing girls."

"Yeah, he does, thank God. Half the time he can't even figure out when they're flirting with him." Dee glanced over at where the redhead was directing Ryo's attention to her phaser, which was tucked into a holster at the top of one of her stockings. "But he's such a looker that he doesn't have to do any chasing. All he has to do is stand there and they swarm all over him like ants on a roast beef sandwich."

"Yeah, well that's no help to _me_. Maybe it won't tax his limited flirting skills too much if I ask him to just gaze longingly at me and fetch me drinks and snacks." Diana smiled wryly. "So do we have a deal, handsome?"

"You betcha, toots. Hey, does this mean I can stare at your tits?"

"Sure, why not?" she sang, while resting her stiletto heel threateningly on top of his foot. Then she added under her breath, "Don't be crass, you bastard. If you make me an object of pity, you're gonna regret it a hundred times over."

"Just kidding, gorgeous. Now if you don't mind, I'm gonna go rescue Ryo before that chick starts offering to take him home to play with her jet pack."

"We'll both go. I want to tell him about his part of the plan, anyway."

&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&

"Which guy is she after again?" Ryo whispered to Dee.

"Guy in the rugby uniform. The one who's giving me a dirty look. I have to say, I think her plan is working."

"Wait a minute, didn't she say she needed to make TWO guys jealous?"

"Yeah, that's right, she did. I wonder who the other one is?" Dee looked around at the other men in the room. There weren't many there who would have fit Diana's criteria. She liked them big, even though she was quite a tiny little thing herself.

"Oh, look," said Ryo. "Some more guests are arriving. That pair is dressed like Batman and Robin. That's a pretty good Batman costume. I wonder if it's anyone we know?"

At that moment, 'Robin' turned his masked face in their direction and broke into a delighted grin. "DEE-SEMPAIIIIII!"

"Oh shit," growled Dee. "Hold this for me, will you?" He thrust his drink into Ryo's hand and disappeared.

As JJ rushed past Ryo, he created a breeze that lifted Ryo's hair and stirred the skirt of his tunic. Ryo didn't even bother to turn around when he heard the thud and the yell. A split second after that, there was a loud crash that sounded expensive. It made him flinch, but he was determined not to turn around for that either, although all the guests in his immediate vicinity were staring in horror at some point past his left shoulder and the air was now filled with loud, familiar cursing. With relief, Ryo spotted someone he recognized.

"James!" he said walking forward with a smile, and handing him Dee's drink. "Nice to see you."

"She got you too, huh?"

"Yeah. She kind of didn't give us a choice."

"Me neither,' said James. "She wouldn't let me bring my girlfriend, either."

"Lily? How's she doing?"

"Not bad...Hey, what the hell's going on over at the door?"

Ryo turned to look. Four muscular young men, stripped to the waist, entered through the double doors of the function room bearing a curtained palanquin. Two girls in Roman dress went before it scattering rose petals on the floor in its path.

"Looks like someone's making an entrance," Ryo remarked, wondering who it was.

&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&

Drake looked around the room feeling unbelievably hot and sweaty in his black latex Batman costume. How had he let JJ talk him into this? The damn thing was skin tight, and pissing was definitely going to be a challenge. He'd better not have too much beer tonight, he thought as he mopped the lower part of his face with a party napkin, and looked around him for familiar faces. The room was attractively decorated in a Greco-Roman style, with vines and bunches of plastic grapes hanging from the pillars and the walls. There were little jack-o-lanterns interspersed here and there as a nod to Halloween. The pillars seemed real, he thought to himself as he saw Dee clawing his way upright against one, while berating JJ over his shoulder. If it wasn't a real pillar, it wouldn't have supported his weight. Drake looked at Dee sympathetically. Shit, it must have hurt when JJ knocked him down on that marble floor.

He began to feel seriously overheated and looked around hopefully for an open window or a balcony. A sultry female voice spoke at his shoulder.

"Time for a smoke?"

He looked in the direction of the voice and was momentarily distracted from the heat and the sweating by the discovery that there was an attractive, slender woman in a black latex bustier and rather a lot of black eye make up apparently hitting on him. A pair of furry cat ears poked up from among glossy brown curls.

"Yeah!" he said. "Do you know where we can go? Preferably outside, or somewhere cool?"

"Follow me," she said, fixing him with a long, smoldering stare. "You give me one of your cigarettes and I'll give you some tips about how to get through a party in latex."

"Deal," said Drake, tugging uncomfortably at the neck of his costume again.

&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&

"JJ, do me a favor,' said Dee.

JJ's eyes lit up. "ANYTHING, you Greek God of a Gladiator!"

Dee handed him the punchbowl. "Go spill this on Ryo's jeans."

"Huh? Why?"

"Never mind why. Just do it. But don't get any on the tunic - it's a rental."

"Are you mad at him or something?"

"JJ, for fuck's sake. You're always saying how you'd do anything for me, and now when I FINALLY ask you to do something, you're all 'Why?' I have a reason, okay? And the less you know, the better, okay?"

"Well, what if he decks me?"

"He won't deck you if you apologize convincingly enough. Now are you gonna do this for me or not?"

"All right, all right. But in return, you have to join my friends list on Facebook, and sit next to me in the lunchroom at least twice next week."

"Facebook? Not a chance. But I'll think about the lunchroom. Besides, you owe me this for knocking me into that plaster statue back there. That fucking hurt."

JJ looked penitent. "I'm sorry, Mr. Perfect. I didn't see it."

"Whatever. Now get over there and drench him good. And remember, I had nothing to do with this, got it?"

"Dee, you're lucky you're so gorgeous because you really are a bastard, you know that?"

Dee winked at him. "Aw come on, JJ. I'm only a part-time bastard nowadays. I'm gettin' old, you know."

JJ grinned back. "Like hell. You'll still be the sexiest man in the universe even when you're forty." He turned away with the punchbowl, looking mischievous. "Watch this," he said over his shoulder, and crossed the room to Ryo.

&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&

End of chapter 9

Chapter Ten is already on my homepage, which you can find in my profile. I'll be back with another chapter on Friday November the 7th.

Thanks for reading, and Happy Halloween!


	10. Chapter 10

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_By Brit Columbia_

Chapter Ten

Fandom: Fake

Pairing: Dee and Ryo

Rating: Teen. The naughtiness is over for now. But more is on the way…

Spoilers: to Volume 7

Disclaimer: These characters belong to Sanami Matoh, not me. I was not paid in any way for the creation of this story.

Summary: Various mishaps happen to a gladiator, a slave, and the supporting cast at Diana's Halloween party.

Author's notes: 1. LEO stands for Law Enforcement Officer. 2. I chose the New York Palace Hotel for my location, even though I've never been there. The function room I'm picturing for this story is the Villard Ballroom, minus most of the tables and chairs.

Thank you to mtemplar, moontatoo, and ladyfeather for beta-ing this.

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_Chapter 10_

Ryo took another sip of his wine, wishing that he and Dee could leave. But he knew that wasn't going to happen, since they had only just arrived. And certainly not until after he had managed to flirt with Diana, as requested. He wondered what she expected him to do. Engage her in witty banter? Put his arm around her? Drag her into a corner and molest her? He hoped it wasn't the latter. He wasn't sure how to proceed. But one way or another, he had to do something, as it was the price of getting out of there. His eyes scanned the room, looking for her.

There she was, approaching the mysterious palanquin, which was being carried around the room in a slow promenade on the shoulders of four athletic looking men. Ryo watched as the curtain twitched open a little and a hand emerged from it, extending slowly toward Diana like the hand of God reaching down to Adam on the ceiling of the Sistine chapel.

"Kyaaaah!" Diana squealed suddenly. "Berkie! I can't believe you made it!"

"Berkie?" echoed a deep voice at Ryo's shoulder. "Well, it looks like Commissioner Rose has deigned to come, after all."

Ryo turned toward the voice and saw a broad, powerful-looking man of middle height surveying him with sharp, predatory eyes. He wore a quantity of black leather and had a coiled whip dangling from the side of his studded belt. He was accompanied by a pair of similarly-clad young people of indeterminate sex. They both wore dog collars and leashes and peered at Ryo with a combination of jealousy and interest. Ryo noted with aversion that the ends of both of their leashes were wound around the thick, hairy forearm of the man who had spoken to him.

"Excuse me?" he said politely, but with a slight chill to his voice. He didn't take kindly to the way the man was looking at him.

"Commissioner Rose of the NYPD," the man said, gesturing with the cigar that he held in his free hand. "I heard he originally wasn't going to be here tonight."

"I heard that, too." Ryo glanced at the palanquin again. It had been set down, the bearers standing at attention, while Diana exclaimed effusively over 'Berkie'. Ryo would have been happier not to run into the Commissioner tonight of all nights, when he happened to be wearing a slave costume, of all things. Inwardly he cursed Dee, Diana, and finally himself for the series of circumstances that had led to his standing in the New York Palace Hotel, dressed like this. He was glad he had insisted on wearing his jeans to this party. He didn't care how ridiculous Dee said it looked--he didn't want to give the Commissioner an excuse to ogle him any more than he usually did.

"Are you FBI, like Diana?" the man asked.

"No, I'm NYPD," said Ryo shortly, turning away. He didn't want to be ogled by this guy, either.

"Hey, now, don't run away so soon. My name's Niko, Niko Kominos. I'm not in law enforcement like most of Diana's guests tonight. I'm just a businessman. Cigars, among other things. You like cigars?" He snapped his fingers and one of his slaves hastened forward to bow low before Ryo while proffering a small lacquered tray of cigars.

"Please Master, have a cigar," mumbled the slave.

Ryo hesitated, nonplussed. He didn't want to be rude to a poor guy wearing a leash and dog collar. "Um..." he said.

"Go on, take one," Niko urged. "These are the best quality."

"Sorry, I don't smoke," said Ryo.

"Take one anyway. I bet you know someone who does."

Ryo looked uncertainly at the cigars, thinking of the Chief. "Hmm…yes, I do," he said. "Thank you. I think I will."

"Good, good." Niko grinned at him and extended his hand. "What's your name, by the way?"

"Randy MacLean." Ryo shook Niko's hand, wondering where Dee was. Hopefully he had recovered from being knocked down by JJ.

Niko's grip was warm and meaty and he held onto Ryo's hand for just a moment too long. "Say, that's an interesting costume you're wearing," he said. "What are you supposed to be?"

"Um, Roman citizen," said Ryo, taking a quick glance around the room.

"Citizen? You sure? That looks like a _whip_ you've got wrapped around your waist."

"Yes, I'm sure," said Ryo firmly, feeling the color rise to his cheeks.

"Can you guess what I am?" asked Niko, indicating his own costume, which was quite tight-fitting. Abundant chest hair protruded over the top of the costume's square cut neckline.

"Er... no idea."

"Dungeon-Master," said Niko with a self-satisfied smile. He gazed fondly at his two companions, who both simpered under his regard.

"How...um, interesting," murmured Ryo. Where the hell was Dee? Or Diana? Anybody?

Niko leaned in closer to Ryo and tugged on the tassel end of the younger man's whip-belt. "You look like you should be with me tonight," he said in a soft voice, his eyes meeting Ryo's with an unmistakable invitation in them.

Ryo was just opening his mouth to reply, when he heard JJ's voice saying, "Hi, Ryo!" He turned around with relief, much happier to see JJ than he would usually be.

While Ryo had been talking with Niko, matters had been developing over by the palanquin. Rose's two female companions, whom Diana recognized as Pamela from the front desk of the 51st precinct, and Gwen, Berkeley's extremely overpriced hairdresser, had gone into action to secure their territory, which seemed to consist mainly of Berkeley. Pamela was winding the curtains around the palanquin's four posts, and Gwen, a bowl of grapes in her lap, was nestling herself close to Berkeley where he reclined regally among tasseled cushions. Diana's barely hidden irritation at this scene was not quite assuaged by the fact that three of Berkley's four muscular attendants were looking appreciatively at her. In fact, she barely noticed them.

"'Diana the Huntress', I presume," observed Berkeley in a laconic voice. "You look lovely, Dee-Dee."

"Lovely? You don't think this costume makes me look heavy?" Diana preened a little for the benefit of the other two women. She knew her tits and legs were better than either of theirs, even with Gwen's 'surgical enhancements' taken into account.

"Certainly not, and you know it." Berkely's blue eyes showed a spark of amusement.

"Well, I'll accept your compliment, then." Diana flashed him a flirtatious smile and then looked him up and down. "Hmm. Now, you would be...Caesar, naturally."

"Naturally. 'The foremost man of all this world', my dear," said Berkeley with a smile. "At least, I aspire to be, in your eyes."

"My lord 'Caesar', can you make some room for me?" Pamela broke in, climbing onto the litter to join the Commissioner and Gwen. She pressed her body up against his suggestively, and rested one forearm on his broad chest. Catching Gwen's eye, she opened her mouth for a grape, and Gwen obliged her by slowly pushing one in. Pamela licked Gwen's fingers, while Berkeley watched with interest. Both girls looked at Diana and giggled.

Diana gave them a grim smile. Bitches. They had no idea who they were dealing with. They would, though, and before the night was very much older. She promised herself that.

"Let me get you all some drinks," she said sweetly.

On her way to the small bar that was set up opposite the help-yourself drinks table, she had passed JJ, who was carrying a large crystal punchbowl and staggering slightly. Was the young sharpshooter already tipsy? Diana had taken a hard look at him as he went by. His eyes were fixed keenly on one person -- Ryo. He was clearly up to no good.

JJ reminded Diana of nothing more than one of those yappy little cute-as-a-button dogs that ran about madly, alternately licking people's hands and snapping at their heels. Every time she saw him, she wanted to slap duct tape over his mouth and lock him in a closet. The only time she ever felt any respect for him was when he had a rifle in his hands.

"Oh, JJ," she called in a voice that dripped saccharine.

He stopped, and actually blanched at the sight of her, which made her want to roll her eyes. Just because she had stuffed him into the rat-infested crawl-space under a house once, for crying out loud. If he had an ounce of red blood in him, he would just get over it already.

"Uh, hi Diana."

"Listen sweetie-pie, I don't know where you're going with that punchbowl or what you intend to do with it - " she held up a hand to forestall his protestations of innocence - "and I don't want to know. All I wanna say is that if you somehow manage to break that thing, the hotel will bill me an arm and a leg for it and you can bet the amount will make my credit card weep tears of blood. And if that happens...I will hunt you down and make _you_ weep tears of blood. Are we on the same page here?"

"Uh...totally." JJ began backing away nervously.

"Oh goody. Well enjoy the party and stay out of trouble!" Diana abruptly turned away and resumed her journey to the bar, confident that she had delivered her message.

&.&.&.&.&.&.&

"Hi JJ," said Ryo. "Nice costume. Was that Drake I saw earlier dressed as Batman?"

"Yeah, it was," JJ replied with a big smile. "D'you know where he is? I seem to have lost him and I want him to try this absolutely delish punch."

"Well, you didn't have to bring him the whole bowl," said Ryo, eyeing it dubiously. "One glass would've probably been just fine. I could help...." He trailed off as he realized that JJ was not only not listening to him, but in fact his attention was fixed on a point somewhere behind him, the big smile fading rapidly from his face. Ryo turned around to look and was just in time to catch sight of 'Batman' disappearing through the door that led to the lobby with his arm around a curvaceous woman wearing black latex and cat ears. Perhaps Drake was in luck tonight, Ryo thought, feeling happy for him. His co-worker had recently been complaining about how he hadn't had a date for almost two months.

Ryo turned back to JJ who suddenly seemed to be crackling with restless energy.

"Ryo, hold this for a minute," he said, his eyes still on the velvet curtain. Thrusting the punch bowl abruptly in Ryo's direction, he took off across the floor. Ryo made a sound of dismay as punch sloshed all over his jeans and sandals, but JJ was already too far away to notice.

Niko took the punch bowl away from a shocked-looking Ryo, and let go of his slaves' leashes. "Slaves," he commanded, pointing at Ryo's feet. "Lick his sandals clean!"

"Yes, Master!" they chorused.

Ryo took an alarmed step backwards, but he wasn't fast enough. In a flash, he had a slave clinging to each ankle, and he felt their wet tongues licking and slurping at his feet. Not only was it incredibly embarrassing to have this happening in front of everybody, but it tickled as well. "Stop that!" he protested. "Let go of me, right now, please!"

The slaves ignored him and kept licking. Niko watched, his eyes heavy-lidded with pleasure. "Randy," he said in a low voice, "they'll lick any part of you I tell them to. Wouldn't you like to come home with me?"

"No, I would not," spluttered Ryo indignantly, struggling to free himself from the grip of the slaves. He didn't want to harm them if it could possibly be avoided. "Please call them off before I do something we might all regret!"

At that moment, a familiar voice snarled, "What the hell?" and suddenly a pair of strong hands descended onto the bent necks of both slaves, hauling them upright and practically off their feet by their collars.

"Dee, don't hurt them," Ryo said quickly, his eyes flashing a quick look of gratitude at his lover.

"No? Whatever. They'd probably like it, I bet!" Dee glared from one to the other. The one on the left was nodding and quivering all over, his--or was it her?-- eyes tightly closed. The one on the right was turning blue, his tongue still protruding.

"Put them down," said Ryo urgently. "That one's choking, I think..."

"Unhand my slaves immediately!' boomed Niko from behind Dee, and Ryo was in a position to see Dee's face light with sudden sharp anticipation mingled with a kind of unholy pleasure. In Ryo's experience, confrontations were a necessary evil in the average workday of an LEO, but he nonetheless viewed them as something to be avoided whenever possible in one's personal life. He was still, after all this time, baffled by the way that Dee seemed to enjoy getting into fights and arguments with just about everybody.

With a simultaneous flick of both wrists, Dee sent the two slaves sprawling off to either side of him, and turned slowly around to face whichever sonofabitch had sicced his 'slaves' on Ryo. Nobody was allowed to put their tongue anywhere on Ryo, except he himself. He would have loved to make that claim out loud, but they had attracted a small crowd by that time which may or may not have contained observers of the co-worker variety, so he knew he'd better not.

What he said instead was, "Who the fuck are you?"

"Niko Kominos, and I don't need to ask who you are because the answer is clear. You're a bully." Niko squared up to Dee, his chin thrust out belligerently.

"Yeah, I'm a big meanie, here to spoil all your fun. But that's better than what you are, which is a _wannabe_ leather-dom with human accessories." Dee jabbed two fingers hard into Niko's chest. "I find my partner soaked with punch and a social retard like you holding the fucking punch bowl. If that's not a 'smoking gun', I don't know what is."

At those words, both slaves started protesting passionately from where they sat on the floor, waving their hands around and pointing in the direction of the lobby. Niko was also declaiming loudly, and even Ryo was trying to make himself heard. Dee couldn't understand anything that anyone was saying, and consequently found himself feeling almost grateful when a piercing female voice screeched, "QUIET!" at close range, making everyone jump. Niko nearly dropped the punch bowl.

Diana stood there, her mouth a hard line and her eyes blazing. When she was sure she had their undivided attention, her threatening expression vanished between one second and the next, leaving her beaming at everyone in an enchantingly feminine way. Ryo shuddered. It was really quite disconcerting when she did that. Effective, though. Dee and Niko had abandoned their macho posturing and were both looking back at Diana warily.

"You naughty children," she crooned, shaking a finger at them. "Don't spoil my nice party by fighting and making a scene, or I'll be forced to do a teensy-weensy, ever-so-slightly violent martial arts demonstration. All in good fun, of course! But you probably wouldn't like that, would you?"

Everyone grumbled assent. The slaves got to their feet and Dee and Niko stepped back from one another.

"Good!" said Diana. "Niko, darling, would you like me to introduce you to Commissioner Berkeley Rose? Berkie is a bit of a connoisseur when it comes to cigars. I'm sure you two would have a lovely conversation."

"Oh yes, I'd love to meet him," said Niko eagerly, snapping his fingers for his slaves to approach. One of them picked up the tray of cigars he had discarded earlier when he had been ordered to lick Ryo's feet. The other one glanced shyly at Dee.

Diana turned to where a young bartender stood waiting with a tray of drinks. "Let's go, Todd," she said, jerking her head toward the palanquin. As she passed Ryo, she stopped and laid a compassionate hand on his cheek, whispering, "Don't leave yet, sweetie. I'll be right back to help you out. By the way, he's watching. Kiss me, okay?"

"Huh? Who? Dee?" Ryo looked at her uncomprehendingly, and failed, in his confusion, to deliver the asked-for kiss.

Diana sighed. "The _guy_ I'm after, pretty boy. But I guess we should get you cleaned up first, so we can get your mind back on my little problem, instead of your wet jeans. Ta-ta for now, but get ready to pucker up when I get back, hmm?" She winked and followed Todd.

"Oh right.... Sorry," Ryo called after her weakly. Dammit, he had wanted to use this as an excuse to leave, but now Diana was calling him on his promise to help her snag some guy. This night was NOT going well.

He looked down despairingly at his sticky, wet jeans, wishing he had a change of clothing. He wondered if any of the hotel gift shops were open, and if they sold trousers. He looked up and found Dee's eyes on him.

"Bad luck, huh, dude?"

Ryo just nodded. "Could you believe that guy? Sometimes I feel like I'm a weirdo-magnet."

"It's Halloween, babe. Look around you. Weirdo city. Uh-oh, here comes another one."

Ryo turned his head to follow Dee's line of sight. The brooding rugby player was bearing down on them purposefully, his fists clenched.

&.&.&.&.&.&.&

**~end of Chapter Ten~**

The next chapter will be published here in a week. If you want to read Chapter 11 right now, go to my homepage, which is in my profile. I always publish on my homepage at least one week before I publish anywhere else.

Thank you very much for reading my story! If you like this one, then please have a look at some of my other Fake fics as well.

Take care,

Brit


	11. Chapter 11

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_By Brit Columbia_

Chapter Eleven

_Fandom_: **Fake**

_Pairing:_ Dee and Ryo

_Rating:_ Worksafe.

_Spoilers:_ to Volume 7

_Disclaimer:_ These are **Sanami Matoh**'s characters, not mine. I was not paid in any way for the creation of this story.

_Summary:_ Dee and Ryo, dressed respectively as gladiator and slave, attend Diana's Halloween party at the New York Palace Hotel. Assorted shenanigans ensue.

_Author's notes_: Sorry to all the people who were expecting this chapter yesterday. FF dot Net was having some problems with Document Manager, so I couldn't upload my document until now.

Please forgive any inaccuracies you may find about the hotel. It was much worse before, but since the last chapter, I've done more research. Despite that, the fact remains that I've never actually set foot in the place. I've been working from pictures and descriptions. I chose to make the courtyard of the New York Palace darker than it probably is. From the pictures I've seen, it seems to be quite well lit at night, but I wanted it to be a little darker and more romantic/mysterious.

_Thank you_ to **mtemplar, moontatoo**, and **the_ladyfeather** for beta-ing this.

Also, a huge thank you to **jdr1184** for making me Fake animations to illustrate this story! If you want to see them, you'll have to go to my homepage (look in my profile) and then scroll down to the comments in Chapter 10 (my favorite!) and Chapter 11

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_Chapter 11_

Partially hidden behind a large, colorful arrangement of exotic hothouse flowers, JJ peered through one of the arched glass windows that made up one whole wall of the lobby. He had trailed Drake and that latex tart down the broad, sweeping staircase, but had lost sight of them once they had gone out into the courtyard.

JJ was sure that Drake wouldn't have just left without a word to him. They had to be still out there smoking, that was it. Where the hell had Drake gotten to? It was dark out there and the courtyard was huge. There were items of patio furniture scattered here and there, along with large potted evergreen trees, their dense branches adorned for winter with fairy lights. It seemed as though a few other couples had also gone outside to get cool or enjoy a smoke. JJ saw the red luminescence of a cigarette flare in the darkness as someone took a drag on it. Could that be Drake? It was too bad the man was wearing a totally black costume, or he would have been easier to spot.

The first thing he had to do, thought JJ to himself, was to get himself into a suitably casual frame of mind and then stroll out through the door. Next on the agenda was to find Drake. After that, he wasn't sure what he was going to do.

JJ had no illusions as to why Drake had gone out there with that cat-eared Jezebel. His gonads were probably in overdrive after two months with no action. JJ couldn't quite imagine what that would be like. Since becoming sexually active at the age of eighteen, he had never gone longer than three weeks without a partner. In fact the only times he had been without one for longer than six or seven days were times when he was either up to his neck in overtime, or sick with a cold or the flu. Poor Drakey must be about ready to explode, he thought with a certain amount of sympathy, his eyes still searching for a familiar pair of upright bat ears.

Finally, he squared his shoulders and stepped back a pace from the window. The longer he stood here hesitating, the more likely it was that Drake and That Woman were 'bonding', or something. He could almost picture them huddling close together under the Batman cape for warmth, sharing cigarettes and exchanging lame jokes. JJ left the sumptuous shelter of the flower display and began sidling along the lobby windows in the direction of the door.

It was time to go Drake-hunting.

&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&

"Ta-daaah!" sang Diana as she, Todd the bartender, and Niko and his slaves arrived at Berkeley's fancy palanquin. "Drinkies!"

The litter bearers looked pleased at the news that they were about to be getting drinks. Or maybe they were just pleased at the return of Diana. She flattered herself that it was perhaps a little of both.

There was one bearer, however, whom she was sure was only pretending to be happy. He didn't seem to want to be here, and he kept looking at Berkeley and then looking away. She thought she could understand perhaps a little of what he felt.

But that didn't mean for one minute that she would put his interests ahead of her own.

She noted that Niko was openly admiring of Berkeley, who lolled indolently upon red velvet cushions with gold tassels, his arms around two passably gorgeous girls.

"Commissioner," Niko began, "It's really great to meet--"

"Not now, Niko. I need to explain the drinks," interrupted Diana, with a warm smile and a hard glance that added _shut the fuck up already_, although not precisely with words. "Ladies first."

Gwen sat up and said coolly, "Oh, I forgot to tell you. I only drink Chardonnay." She and Pamela exchanged little smiles.

"Well, how about you Pamela? Are you going to break my heart and refuse this gorgeous girls-only chocolate martini I had Todd make specially for you?" Diana tried to make puppy dog eyes, but did not quite succeed. The effect was more like Doberman eyes.

"Well..." Pamela hesitated. "We brought a couple of bottles of Cristal. I was planning to stick to champagne..." Despite her words, she was eyeing the martini with unmistakable interest.

"Aw come on, just try it. You don't have to finish it if you don't like it."

"Well, maybe just a sip. Does it really taste like chocolate?" She reached out a tentative hand, ignoring Gwen's little nudge.

"M-hm," Nodding enthusiastically, Diana passed it to her, being very careful not to look at Berkeley.

"Just a moment," Berkeley held up one finger. "Dee-Dee, darling, this wouldn't happen to be the same kind of chocolate martini you gave my cousin Lana, would it?"

"Certainly not!" Diana stared into his eyes, determined not to be the first to blink.

"All the same," he said, taking the martini glass from the hand of the disappointed Pamela, "I think we shan't risk it. Pamela, my dear, I ordered this Cristal especially for you, you know."

Pamela looked adoringly at him. "Should I believe you?"

"On the subject of champagne, you should always believe me," he said with a smile, handing the glass back to Diana, with a brief glance of warning.

She tried not to grit her teeth like she wanted to because she knew that if she did, a muscle might jump in her jaw, and she certainly didn't want anyone in this group to see how tightly wound up she was. Damn that man. Why did he have to have such a good memory?

"All righty then," she said smoothly, calmly returning the chocolate martini to the tray that Todd was holding. "Todd will bring you an ice bucket and some champagne flutes shortly." Fuck Gwen and her Chardonnay.

"What exactly happened to your cousin Lana?" Gwen asked the Commissioner with a tiny frown.

"Oh she just had a bit of an allergic reaction, that's all," he replied soothingly.

"Berkie, would you do me the honor of drinking a Bloody Caesar cocktail?" Diana asked, trying not to look at where Pamela's fingers idly caressed the side of Berk's chest that was left exposed by his toga. "I had Todd mix up a jug for you and your party."

"How can I refuse a drink with such a name? Certainly I'll have one, Dee-Dee, as long as you can promise me that I won't have any...ah... allergic reactions."

Diana took a cocktail glass full of opaque red liquid off Todd's tray and presented it to Berkeley with a little smirk. "Of course not, my darling. Your only known allergies are to monogamy and settling down."

The group erupted in laughter, including Berkeley himself. While they were distracted by merriment, one of Niko's two slaves snaked out a surreptitious hand and whisked the chocolate martini off the tray. Todd, who despite his youth was a longtime veteran of banquets, conventions and special events in the hotel business, didn't blink an eye.

"And for your hard-working and handsome 'bodyguards', too," said Diana, holding up the jug. "Drink one with me, boys!"

The four bearers cheered and took the empty tumblers that Todd handed them one by one. Diana poured the cocktail mix into each glass, saying "Wait, wait, all together now..."and then poured the dregs of the jug into a glass for herself. Todd immediately topped up her glass from a bottle of mix, earning an approving smile from her. Todd was very well trained.

"Hail Caesar!" shouted Diana, and she and the four bearers clinked glasses and tossed them back. One of them started coughing and another one got very red in the face. The one who had seemed tense and unhappy suddenly looked as though he were feeling better.

"Damn!" he said. "That's one killer drink, ma'am."

The few faint shreds of sympathy that Diana had previously felt for him went fluttering out the window at the sound of that dreaded word _ma'am_. She could accept being called ma'am by her subordinates at work, but she didn't want to hear it from random young hunks in a party situation. Especially when the young hunk in question couldn't have been more than five years younger than she was.

_Ma'am, _huh? That did it; he was going down with the rest.

"Todd," she called. "Please mix up another jug of magic for Caesar's muscle. And bring champagne paraphernalia for Caesar and his, er... 'sisters'."

That got another laugh, and she was able to bow out of the situation. It was time to get Ryo out of his jeans. She caught Todd's eye and nodded her head at him. He nodded back in understanding. Certain that a silent message regarding the strength of the new jug of Caesar cocktails had been sent and received, Diana retraced her steps to where she had last seen Dee and Ryo.

To her secret pleasure, she saw Boris, her soccer player, trying his damnedest to start a fight with Dee. Before she reached the little group, however, Ryo had succeeded in wrenching the two men apart.

"Boys!" Diana called out. "What did I tell you about fighting?"

Dee held up his hands in protest. "I controlled myself!" he said. "The only reason this guy isn't out cold on the floor is because you said that scary things would happen to anyone who got into a fight at your party."

"Diana!" said Boris. "This jerkoff claims that he's your friend, but I don't believe he has any respect for you at all. He said - "

"All I said was that my tongue would love to take you to the peak of Mount Olympus three or four times," interrupted Dee looking as innocent as a man could look while saying such words in mixed company. "Is that bad?"

"You see? You hear?" Spluttering in indignation, Boris took a threatening step closer to Dee. He topped the NYPD detective in height by about two inches, and his whole body was quivering with the desire to punch somebody, preferably Dee.

"Agent Brasov," said Ryo placatingly, "My partner is only kidding. He has the greatest respect and affection for Diana, as do I. Dee is just pushing your buttons, that's all."

Diana widened her stance and put her hands on her hips. "Dee," she said warningly. "You'd just BETTER be all about respect and affection here, or so help me..."

"Of course I am! I worship the ground you walk on, everybody knows that." Dee silently congratulated himself for the convincing note of sincerity he inserted into that last sentence, since it was one of the biggest lies he had ever told in his life. But if it would help to get the Sea Hag into bed with this asshole, it would be worth it. She was always sweeter and much less of a pain in the ass when she was getting boinked on a regular basis.. "It's just that when this nimrod here came over and demanded to know my intentions - like he's your friggin' brother, or something, I couldn't resist flipping him off."

Ignoring both men, Ryo stepped forward and solemnly said, "Diana, would you please have dinner with me on Tuesday night?"

For a moment, she almost laughed at the pained expression on his face. _Way to make a girl feel special, Ryo,_ she thought to herself, but she didn't let her amusement show. Ignoring Boris' shocked look at this new and unexpected source of competition, she smiled encouragingly at the shy detective and said, "Let's get you somewhere quiet and private where you can change out of those sticky wet jeans, and we can certainly discuss dinner, hon." Switching her attention to his partner, she all but ordered Dee to go to the door and greet Ted, who was hovering at the entrance wearing a rather threadbare-looking lion costume.

Once he had been dispatched, she took a moment to bat her eyes at the brooding Boris and tell him that he put her in mind of David Beckham in his costume, only better looking, before whisking Ryo off to the little alcove she had mentioned earlier to Dee. She fanned herself with a party napkin as they went. Managing a room full of troublesome men was certainly an endeavor that required all of her best multitasking skills. She hoped it would be worth it at the end of the evening.

In the blessedly cool chill of the moonlight, Drake was leaning comfortably against a huge, square, waist-high planter that held one of the evergreens. His legs were spread, and his adorable long-legged cat woman was between them, pressing herself up against the faux-abs of his costume, her arms around his neck. A little earlier, he had gently settled his cape around her bare shoulders, a move she had liked. The smell of latex rose between their bodies to mingle with the woodsy, cedar smell that was coming from the tree.

"Serena," he whispered. "Such a pretty name..." Then he kissed her again. She tasted like cherry coke and the cigarette he had given her, and she squirmed sensually against his hard-on in a way that made him groan into her mouth. It had been so long!

He had initially cursed this skin-tight Batman costume for being too hot and constrictive, but JJ had insisted that he rent it, flattering him by telling him that not many men had the body to pull off such a close-fitting outfit. He had soon regretted his vanity, however, when the sweating started, which was about thirty-seven seconds after he had squeezed himself into his black rubber prison. But now, however, he was thrilled that the costume had attracted this lovely woman. She had promised to get him out of it - at her place, which was apparently a short taxi ride from this hotel.

"Shall we go now, Drake?" she murmured against his lips, and he allowed his hand to slide down her back until it was cupping one of her buttocks through the thin skirt she wore under her bustier. No panty lines. No underwear. Oh God.

"Drakey! THERE you are!" JJ's loud, perky voice split the velvet darkness so disconcertingly close to his ear that he instinctively let go of Serena and almost fell down.

"JJ! What the hell? You nearly gave me a goddamn heart attack!"

"Sorry about that," chirped JJ, sounding about as apologetic as a robot. "But you see, I need your...your help."

"What's wrong? What do you need?"

"I, uh, need your help with Ryo. He's mad at me." JJ tried his best to assume a worried expression, although he didn't actually care very much whether Ryo was mad at him or not.

Drake snorted in disgust. "Well, _that_ can certainly wait until tomorrow. If Diana was mad at you, I'd say you'd definitely have a problem, but Ryo is pretty civilized."

"Yeah, but wait 'til you hear what I did! And it was an accident, by the way. Dee seemed to think Ryo might wanna deck me. Drake, you have to save me!" JJ flung himself on his partner, effectively dislodging Serena, who had no choice but to give way.

Drake tried to disengage JJ, which as Dee had learned long ago, was an action that only caused JJ's arms to tighten with desperate strength. "Come on there, little buddy. Settle down. I want to introduce you to Serena." He looked apologetically at her. "I'm afraid we're not being very polite."

"How can I think about politeness when I'm in danger of getting my nose broken!" wailed JJ.

"You're not going to get your nose broken," soothed Drake. "I'll come with you and help you straighten this out, whatever it is, all right? Now please let go of me and say hello to Serena."

JJ reluctantly unwound his one of his arms from Drake's neck and sullenly extended a hand to Drake's latest hussy. "Hi Sabrina," he said.

"It's Serena," insisted Drake. "Serena, this is my partner - my _work _partner, JJ."

"Pleased to meet you, JJ," she said, staring at him with a wonderment that Drake couldn't fault her for.

After all, JJ was still partially coiled around him, and clinging on for dear life with his remaining hand. If Drake hadn't had direct experience that JJ's normal behavior was like this, he might have suspected that the younger man was jealous.

"Drake," said Serena slowly, a hint of doubt creeping into her voice, "are you two... together?"

"No!" he said quickly, thinking _Oh no, not again_. That was how he had lost Megan about six months back. "I said he was my work partner, didn't I? But JJ and I are also friends," he added, somewhat guiltily. He didn't want to hurt JJ's feelings by appearing to minimize their friendship. "He's like this with everybody. Aren't you, JJ? Especially with 'Dee-sempai'?"

"Whatever," said JJ and abruptly let go of Drake. He could take a hint! Besides, it was time to let go anyway. Despite Drake's reassurance that they were just friends, JJ believed that this cat-ho had gotten the message that things just might be a bit, well, complicated between ol' Batman and Robin.

"Can we go find Ryo now?" he demanded, once more ignoring Serena.

"Sure," said Drake. "Let's do that, and after we've made sure that Ryo isn't gonna hurt you, I'm, uh...I'm gonna be heading out with Serena, here." He took her hand and kissed it, while looking at her a little anxiously.

She smiled back and he thought she looked somewhat reassured.

"Come ON," insisted JJ, tugging on Drake's other arm. "It's fricken' cold out here."

"Well, you're not wearing a hot latex costume," muttered Drake, as JJ towed him, and by default, Serena, toward the doors.

"Sizzling hot," Serena remarked and giggled. Drake grinned at her and squeezed her hand. JJ rolled his eyes, but because it was dark and he was in the lead, nobody saw.

After the crisp, clean sharpness of the New York winter air, the heat of the lobby, with its wafting smells of food, perfume, and flowers broke over them like a wave, and to Drake's dismay, his body immediately resumed sweating.

JJ continued to haul them along, through the lobby and up the staircase to the second floor room that Diana had rented. "Argh," said Drake, tugging once more at his collar. "Let's make this quick, huh? JJ, do you see Ryo anywhere?"

"No..." JJ had already spotted Dee, who was talking to a mangy-looking lion that just HAD to be Ted, but Ryo, for once, wasn't standing anywhere near him. "Maybe he's in the men's room. Or he might be in the coat check."

"Why would he be in the coat check?" asked Drake.

"Well, I kinda accidentally spilled punch all over his jeans, so he might have taken them off and put his coat on rather than show a little leg. You know what a prude he is."

"Oh, is that...Dee Laytner! So it is," said Serena suddenly, gazing in Dee's direction in bright-eyed surprise.

"You know Dee?" asked JJ in alarm, hastily upgrading her in his mind from Jezebel Cat-Ho to Dangerous Hussified Dee-Stealer, First Class.

"Yes," she said, still smiling. "Quite...intimately, in fact."

"And you don't, er, want to kill him?" Drake was looking equally as uncertain as JJ. "'Cause we met a couple of women that Dee used to date, and they both wanted to kill him."

"Yeah, that's right," said JJ. "Except one of them wanted to kill him by screwing him to death...At least that was what she said after her fourth drink. So, um, do YOU want to kill him?"

"No, of course not! He was once a student of mine."

"Not at the Academy, surely," said JJ, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. "'Cause I was there, too, and I don't remember you."

"No, it wasn't anything formal like that," she said. "It was a small, private night class, a little on the kinky side." She turned her head and smiled challengingly at both men. "He asked me to teach him how to use a whip."

*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

~end of Chapter 11~

Author's notes: Well, that'll give 'em something to talk about at the water cooler the next day! The next post will show up here in a week.

I made some minor changes to the previous chapter (as in eliminating the balcony and the velvet curtain) because I wanted my depiction of the New York Palace Hotel to be a bit more accurate. Once again, I'm amazed at my luck! It turns out that the ever-helpful mtemplar has actually been to this hotel, so she was able to point out various important details that needed changing. If anyone would like pictures of the lobby, the courtyard, and the party room, just ask. ONE day, I'm actually going to go to New York!


	12. Chapter 12

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_By Brit Columbia_

Chapter twelve

Fandom: Fake

Pairing: Dee and Ryo

Rating: Teen or mature.

Spoilers: to Volume 7

Disclaimer: These characters belong to Sanami Matoh, who created the popular manga, FAKE. Well, Todd the bartender, Trevor the palanquin bearer, Gwen the hairdresser, Niko the dungeon-master and Serena the whip-mistress are mine, but the rest are Ms. Matoh's. Oh right, Niko's androgynous pair of slaves are mine, too. I was not paid in any way for writing this story.

Summary: And the jeans are off! The swaggering gladiator and his reluctant slave attend Diana's Halloween party in NYC, where a roomful of people all have conflicting desires.

Author's notes: Please read and review

Thank you to mtemplar, moontatoo, and ladyfeather for beta-ing this.

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_Chapter 12_

Diana tweaked open the curtain to a little alcove that Ryo wouldn't have guessed was there. It seemed to be a place of refuge for tired party guests to withdraw to. There was a mirror mounted on one wall, with a laminated counter below it, and couple of upholstered chairs under that. A box of tissues and a bottle of lotion stood at one end of the counter, and a little pink zippered bag crouched at the other. There was a slightly worn-looking chaise lounge in the corner whose quality did not quite match the other furnishings of the hotel. Monet prints in gilt frames adorned two of the walls.

"In you go," she said. "Quick, before someone spots us." She gave him a firm push and followed him, letting the curtain fall closed behind her.

He turned back to her almost immediately, looking a little puzzled. "Um, why are we in here, again?"

"Oh, just to get a little break from the madding crowds," she said. "I thought you could maybe keep me company for a while." She looked pointedly at his wet and sticky jeans. "I also thought you might want me to send your pants down to Laundry. If we get your jeans washed while the stains are still wet, I think you can salvage them. Otherwise the pomegranate juice in the punch is probably going to stay on your jeans for life."

"Oh no, do you think so?" Ryo looked down at his jeans, feeling dismayed. They were his favorites. It had taken him a whole year to break them in just right.

"For sure," said Diana emphatically. Todd says they've got the best cleaning products here at the New York Palace Hotel, and apparently there are industrial strength machines in the basement that could have your jeans dry in 30 minutes or less. So, whaddaya say? You wanna just chill in here for about half an hour and then have your jeans back, all clean and ready to wear home?"

"Well..." Ryo considered his options. He really didn't want to take off his jeans at this costume party just in case someone saw him in his too-short tunic. But on the other hand, he preferred it in this quiet little room away from Commissioner Rose and that odd guy with the slaves and the cigars. He wasn't exactly in a partying kind of mood anyway.

"What about Agent Brasov?" he asked her. "I'm supposed to be helping you out by flirting with you in front of him, and I can't exactly do that from in here."

"Oh, yes you can," she informed him with a knowing smile. "In fact, he's probably seething with jealousy right now because he knows I'm alone in here with you, and all kinds of naughty things could start happening at any moment." She shrugged self-deprecatingly. "Or maybe I'm wrong and he doesn't like me as much as I think he does."

"Oh, I think he likes you, all right," Ryo reassured her, recalling the exchange between Agent Brasov and Dee. "You should have heard the way he tore into Dee in your defense."

Diana's eyes lit with interest. "Well, I certainly do want to hear about that," she said. "But first, why don't you make a decision about your jeans? They could be getting expert cleaning treatment while you're giving me a full report."

"All right," said Ryo, impulsively deciding to trust her. After all, he couldn't stand the cold stickiness of his jeans for one second longer. "Just don't tell anyone I'm in here, okay?"

"Not even your partner?" Diana looked a little doubtful. "Because I think he's perfectly capable of tearing the place apart looking for you. I wouldn't put it past him to get a search party together--"

"No, it's okay. You can tell him. I don't want him to worry because I've suddenly 'disappeared' on him."

"All right then, I'm going to ask Todd to bring us a couple of drinks so we can have a cozy chat in here. When he delivers them, you hand him your pants and he'll take care of them. Does that sound like a plan?"

&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&

"Ted, what's with the loser costume AGAIN?" Dee looked him up and down with raised brows. "You recycle that crappy lion costume every year."

"Yeah," said James, who was dressed as a passable Zorro. "You should at least clean it. Look at that, you've still got Janet's red wine stain from last year on your ass."

"That's not red wine," retorted Ted, completely unfazed. "That's the blood of the antelope I ate for dinner. Where's the booze?"

"There's a cash bar over there, but people who brought bottles are setting them up on that other table in the corner," James informed him.

"Well, I guess I'll hit the cash bar, then," Ted said, swiveling his head around to stare at the other guests. "Whooo, looks like there's maybe one or two hot chicks here tonight, huh?"

"Yeah, but you're not gonna get any of 'em to take you seriously in a lame lion outfit with a hole in the armpit," said Dee.

"Yeah," added James knowingly. "Chicks don't like that sort of thing." To the amusement of his co-workers, he had been behaving like something of an expert on women since his current girlfriend had stolen him from his former girlfriend only three months before. It had obviously done wonders for his confidence.

"All costumes are kind of lame close up," Ted said dismissively. "But once the lights are down and the liquor is flowing, no one gives a damn. Say, look at Little Miss Latex over there givin' us the eye."

"Shit, she's coming this way," said Dee, whose eyes were darting about for all the world as if he were looking for an escape route.

"Whaddaya mean, 'shit'?" Ted muttered. "She's a hot one!"

"Maybe you're about to get lucky, Ted," whispered James teasingly.

"Not with Dee standing next to me! Fuck off for five minutes, willya, Dee? Give the less pretty a chance here."

"Sorry, bud. It's too late," said Dee.

"Dee Laytner!" exclaimed the Latex Goddess, as Ted had already named her in his mind. Her costume was definitely NOT lame close up. In fact, the deep and fascinating cleft of her cleavage was already causing stirrings in parts of him that were fortunately hidden by the bagginess of his 'lion loins'. But, dammit, she already seemed to know Dee. And she didn't seem to be one of his more bitter exes, judging by the sparkle in her eye.

Ted, ever optimistic, reminded himself that Dee was technically out of the game. She may want him, but she couldn't have him. He would go home either with Ryo or to Ryo, no matter what. Ted watched them smile, exclaim, embrace and air-kiss, while the wheels clanked around in his mind. Perhaps his co-worker's connection with this gorgeous creature could be brought to benefit him. He just had to stick close, that was all.

"Do you see much of Kelly nowadays?" Dee was asking.

"Not since she moved to Cleveland, which was about three or four ye--"

"Detective Ted O'Neill, Dee's good buddy," interrupted Ted, holding out one giant lion-paw. "Pleased to meet you, Miss...Serena?" He had overheard Dee say her name when he greeted her.

"Well, well. Another of Dee's co-workers. Let me see your face, Ted." She lifted his mask and looked him over with raised eyebrows. "Your division must have a reputation for being comprised of the best looking men in the NYPD." She gave Ted an admiring glance that he found as encouraging as hell. He knew she was lying, naturally; he was only a little above average, and of course nobody looked good standing next to Dee, but he still appreciated the fact that she was flirting with him.

"Oh, we have a reputation, all right," Ted assured her in his best seductive voice. He just didn't say for what. This would not be the best time to tell her that the 27th was widely considered to be the gayest precinct in the five boroughs.

A deep voice broke in, speaking in a disparaging tone. "A reputation merely for good looks? Wouldn't hard work or success be a better thing to have a reputation for?"

Ted's lion mask did not allow for much in the way of peripheral vision, so he pulled it all the way off and turned his head to look at the speaker. He saw a fit-looking perma-tan guy in his early forties who was wearing some kind of S&M get-up and seemed to be towing a pair of goofballs on leashes.

"Oh, Niko," sighed Serena. "Do you always have to be so rude?"

"I'm not the one who has been unforgivably rude this evening," he claimed calmly, hard eyes on Dee. His two loyal slaves tried to follow his lead by also glaring silently at the tall, handsome gladiator, but after about ten seconds they couldn't stop their eyes from roving over him appreciatively. One of them blushed deeply after catching his eye.

"At the 27th, we also have a reputation for ass-kicking," said Dee darkly, judging the distance to the door and considering how quickly he could conceivably drag Niko to it and out of Diana's sight.

Serena's eyes widened as if she knew what he was thinking.

"Dee... Niko..." She turned her head from one to the other, speaking in a low, but conciliatory voice. "There's no need for this behavior. I know both of you quite well, and you actually have a lot in common."

"We have nothing in common!" sputtered Niko.

"Not me, baby," said Dee. "I'm out of the scene. I was only ever in it for Kelly."

"He called me a wannabe leather-dom!" added Niko in tones of great injury.

"Ouch," said Serena with a sympathetic wince. "Well, maybe six months ago you were, but not now, honey. I can vouch for you."

"Seriously?" asked Dee, his eyes swinging from Niko to Serena with disbelief. "You? _Him_?"

"Uhh, what's a leather-dom?" asked James, but everyone ignored him.

"Seriously," said Serena, one corner of her mouth lifting in a sardonic smile. "He knows what he's doing, not only with that whip on his belt, but also with the tawse, the flogger, and the cat."

The two slaves murmured excitedly and clung to each other at the sound of those words, causing Ted to stare at them in amusement. This party was getting more interesting by the minute. Now if only he had a drink. But he didn't want to miss any of the drama by going off to get one. He wondered if this Niko guy would lend him one of the slaves to run over to the bar for him.

Niko rocked back on his heels, his arms folded across his broad chest, looking at Dee with smug satisfaction. "You hear that? I'm no 'wannabe' -- I'm the real deal. And I think you owe me an apology."

"You know what, asshole? I think I owe you a black eye." Dee started forward, but both Ted and James sprang upon him and held him back.

"Dee, dude!" said Ted urgently. "Don't clobber him in here, for Christ's sake."

"If Diana catches you, we're all dead men!" added James.

"Slaves," said Niko, pointing at Dee with a malicious gleam in his eye, "Tickle him!" He let go of their leashes.

"Niko, really!" groaned Serena in embarrassment.

The slaves giggled and started forward, knowing Dee to be securely held by his two friends, but when he turned his blazing and enraged gaze onto them, they faltered, looking fearful.

"Obey!" roared Niko.

They jumped nervously, and emitted little squeals of terror mixed with excitement and started cautiously forward again.

"Slaves!" Dee's voice rang out, surprising everyone. "On your knees - now!" He jerked his head in the direction of the floor, since both his arms were being restrained by James and Ted.

The two slaves instinctively dropped to the floor before him, their heads bowed. Serena nodded approvingly.

Niko's face darkened in anger, and he opened his mouth to speak. Whatever he would have said was drowned out by an infuriated-sounding screech from the doorway.

"JEMS!"

James flinched and cowered behind Ted. Almost every person in the room had turned toward the door.

A short Asian girl stood there, her black eyes snapping. She wore a vintage-style Chinese dress of scarlet silk patterned with dragons. Three onyx buttons went from the little high-necked collar to her shoulder. Long black gloves snaked up her arms while her tiny feet teetered on red high heels. Her dress was slit practically to the hip. She was the quintessential dragon lady, and a collective sigh went up at the sight of her.

This spontaneous approbation seemed to confuse her. She had clearly arrived ready to do battle, not to be gazed at with admiration. She scanned the crowd, a scowl on her pretty face, looking for the person whose name she had called.

"Jems!" she shouted again.

"Yes, dear!" James handed his drink to Ted and scurried over to her.

"Big jerk!" she snapped, whacking him painfully with her fan. "What you do, you go party without me! Girlfriend mean what?" Then she continued the harangue in Mandarin.

James hung his head and apologized profusely, while Dee and Ted snickered, Niko temporarily forgotten.

"Ten bucks says she drags him out of here in less than three minutes," said Ted to Dee.

"Okay, you're on, 'cause I think it's gonna be longer. She's got a lot of bottled up pussy-whipping to do."

One of Niko's slaves emitted a little moan of excitement and peeped up hopefully at Dee, who didn't even notice because he was alternately glancing between the couple at the door and the watch on Serena's helpfully held-out wrist.

"Ahem!" said Niko meaningfully.

"Not now big guy, we've got a bet going," said Ted, without looking at him.

Niko settled for ordering his slaves back upright and scolding them for obeying a man who was not their master. They hung their heads and sniveled. One of them started to look a little green and finally stood on tiptoe to whisper anxiously in Niko's ear.

Whatever the request was, Niko denied it. "I'm very displeased with you, Rowan. You can just wait while your master considers your request."

&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&

While Todd was making a couple of Long Island ice teas to strict specifications, Diana was strolling around lighting candles. Boris walked stiffly up to her and asked if he could help her, so she graciously allowed him to carry her tray of assorted jack-o-lantern-shaped candles, while she selected appropriate nooks and crannies to place them in. Before long, her travels took her back over to the palanquin where Pamela and Gwen lolled languidly together, sipping Cristal. The bearers had all pulled up chairs and were joking and flirting with them.

"Got enough ice for the bubbly, there?" Diana inquired in friendly tones, taking note of the fact that several champagne glasses were resting on the floor for lack of a coffee or end table.

Berkeley was conspicuously absent, but she wasn't going to ask them where he was, no sirree. Besides, she didn't have to. The young man who had earlier seemed rather pensive now sat slightly apart from the others, gazing dolefully at the roomful of gaily-costumed people. Diana followed his line of sight and saw Berk over by the coat check, holding a cigar that Niko had no doubt given him. Uh-oh, that was a little too close to Ryo for comfort. When she had offered Dee that little room next to the coat check as a place to play with Ryo, her motivation hadn't been entirely noble and selfless. The moment she had realized that Berkie would be coming to her party after all, Ryo had transformed from a flirt-buddy into a liability.

Her attention was called back to the revelers at the palanquin by one of the bearers who was tugging on her quiver of arrows.

"Hm?" she said. "What was that, sweetie?"

"I said, we need you to settle a dispute. I'm taking Tango lessons and my teacher says that you dip your partner like this.... "May I?" He held out his hands to her.

"Why sure! But if you drop me, I'll cry."

Boris glowered as the muscular young man took Diana in his arms and danced a couple of quick steps with her before dipping her gracefully so low that her hair practically swept the floor.

She giggled and patted his hard chest as he set her back on her feet. "That was marvelous! So what's the dispute?"

Pamela unwound herself from Gwen and stood upright with a slight pout. "Trevor, I TOLD you, you're doing it wrong!"

"See?" said Trevor plaintively to Diana. "She says I oughta take your leg - like this - as I dip you..."

Pamela rolled her eyes and made an impatient sound. "No, not like that. Here, let go of her. I'll show you."

Diana found herself being practically shoved to one side so that Pamela could take her place. For a moment she was indignant, but then she just smiled. Who cared? They weren't her friends, anyway. Besides, she was on a mission. Make that several missions.

"Boris, honey," she said. "You're being so helpful tonight! I don't know what I'd do without you. Now could you fetch me that little coffee table over there? These poor people have to set their champagne glasses on the floor, and that just won't do, will it?"

Boris agreed and hastened off to do her bidding, after first putting down the tray of candles. While he was gone, Diana took a quick look around the room to make sure everyone was behaving themselves. She saw James over at the door being dragged away by a thoroughly bad-tempered young woman in a pretty Chinese dress. At the same time, one of Niko's two slaves sprinted across the room in the direction of the restrooms, while Niko stared after him - or was it her? - with his mouth open. That Niko was such a bore. She wouldn't have even invited him if he hadn't offered to pay for most of the cost of this room rental in exchange for being introduced to Berkie. She sighed. People were always sucking up to Berkeley, and it wasn't doing his overblown ego a bit of good.

At the coat check, Commissioner Rose looked in vain for an employee. He wanted to go down into the courtyard to smoke the very fine cigar he had been given, but he was damned if he was going to go out into the cold weather wearing only a toga, even if they did have heaters out there. He wasn't sure whether they actually did or not, as he and his party had arrived at the 50th Street entrance, and the courtyard was on Madison Avenue. He hadn't been to the Palace for some weeks, and the weather had certainly changed. He had brought a glorious red, Caesar-ish cape that he had sent one of the boys to check earlier, and he needed it now.

"There's the Commissioner!" he heard a familiar voice say. "Let's ask him."

"Good evening, gentlemen," he said, turning to see two of Ryo's co-workers from the 27th, Detectives Parker and Adams. He gave them a short nod, aware that his expression might be a tad supercilious, but not giving a damn. Although it had the desired effect on Parker, it didn't daunt Adams. Practically nothing could. The young man had his own special armor, which seemed to have been forged from a determined obliviousness to all but his own interests. Oddly enough, the Commissioner mused, this quality usually served Adams quite well as a detective.

"Hallo sir, we're looking for Ryo. Have you seen him?"

"I'm afraid not. There was rather an interesting 'foot-licking' incident that he was involved in earlier, but since then, he seems to have disappeared."

"Foot-licking? Ryo?" JJ looked incredulous. "Oh....I get it, sir. Ha ha, very funny." He had, of course, missed the aftermath of his punch-sloshing attack on Ryo.

"Well, you can ask him yourself when you see him." The Commissioner sounded bored. He sipped his champagne and gave them both another nod, which they took as a dismissal.

"Come on, JJ, let's go ask Dee. I bet he knows where Ryo is." Drake glared in the direction of Dee and Ted, who were standing a little further along the same wall that the coat check was on. A hairy guy in black leather seemed to be arguing with Dee about a whip that Serena was holding, and Ted - that bastard - actually had his arm around Serena! He wanted to stomp over there and put a stop to that immediately. But JJ seemed to have other ideas.

"No, Drake! Diana's the one to ask. She's the hostess after all. She probably found a place to stash Ryo." He took hold of Drake's arm and started pulling him in the opposite direction.

&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&

"No kidding, Dee? You know how to use a whip?" Ted stared at him, impressed.

"Yeah, dude. But I don't boast about it, unlike SOME people." He shot Niko a look of dislike.

"Smart man. A talent like that could sure scare off the ladies, couldn't it?"

"Depends on the lady."

"Niko, really," Serena was saying. "I think you ought to put the whip away. This is a Halloween party, not a BSDM party, and there are a lot of people in this room who won't understand if whips start cracking."

"Serena, you're worrying for nothing. No one's going to get hurt," he replied dismissively. "You say that this...person... learned all about whip handling from you, the same as I did, and I just want to see if he's any good, that's all."

"Sheesh," Dee said to Ted, jerking a thumb in Niko's direction. "Insecure much, this guy?"

&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&

Ryo peeked around the edge of the curtain to see if Diana was on her way back. He held his damp, sticky jeans in one hand, and now that he had gone so far as to actually take them off, he was impatient to get the cleaning process started, at least.

To his relief, he saw Todd, the bartender from earlier, approaching his alcove with a tray of drinks. Diana had said Todd would be the one to take the jeans downstairs.

Ryo's attention was caught by several excited shrieks coming from the direction of the fancy palanquin that Commissioner Rose had arrived in. Those half-naked guys who had carried the Commissioner into the room seemed to be practicing dance steps with the two girls, who were giggling madly. In fact, everyone over there seemed to be rather tipsy. Ryo thought that one of the girls looked a lot like Pamela from the 51st Precinct in the Bronx. The members of Lieutenant Smith's CI Division had gotten to know the 51st's front desk staff quite well when an explosion had forced them to temporarily take up residence at the Bronx 51st, the only precinct that had had space for them at that time.

Pamela, all flushed and giggling, was in the arms of an equally giddy and very well-built young man. As Ryo watched, he dipped her, tango-style, until her hair swung over the little table that held their drinks. Drinks and candles. Uh-oh. He opened his mouth to shout a warning, but he was too late. Pamela's long dark hair was actually on fire!

She realized it almost as soon as he did and began screaming and batting at her hair. Ryo was appalled to see that no one did anything. Her companions stared her in a strange, slack-mouthed kind of shock and the other guests standing nearby all seemed to be frozen like deer in the headlights. He couldn't believe it. Someone had to take action NOW, before she was seriously hurt.

Ryo thrust the curtain aside and ran for the palanquin, his jeans still in his hand.

&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&

end of Chapter 12

More in a week! Thanks for reading. By the way, Chapter 13 is up on my LJ homepage, to which you can find the link in my profile. I'm fortunate enough to have a fun group of readers who comment there. It's a great system because not only can I respond to them, almost like we're having a conversation, but everyone can read all comments and responses. Some of my readers are very witty people, and they'll make you laugh even if the chapter didn't! If you want to leave your own comment there but don't have an LJ account, you can comment anonymously and just add your online name inside the text box after your remarks. Or you can just lurk! Lurkers are always welcome. It's hard for me to offer them tea and cookies, though, since they're invisible.

Thank you to all the people who are kind enough to leave comments for me, both on LJ, AFF and here on FF dot net. It's_ you_ guys who keep me on track when I just want to lounge around watching TV instead of writing the next chapter! I think of you and I feel I don't want to let you down. So hugs, kisses and dark chocolate chunks of gratitude to all of you!


	13. Chapter 13

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_By Brit Columbia_

Chapter Thirteen

Fandom: Fake

Pairing: Dee and Ryo

Rating: Maybe 'mature'. I don't know if this is considered worksafe or not. There's one M/M kiss, but whips are also cracked and kinky stuff is referred to.

Spoilers: to Volume 7.

Disclaimer: Dee, Ryo, Drake, JJ, Commissioner Rose, Diana and Ted all belong to Sanami Matoh, who created the popular manga, FAKE. But James, Lily, Niko, his EMO slaves, as well as Serena the cat-eared whip-mistress, Todd the bartender, and Trevor and Cliff the palanquin bearers are mine. I was not paid in any way for writing this story.

Summary: And the jeans are off! The swaggering gladiator and his reluctant slave attend Diana's Halloween party in NYC, where a roomful of people all have power struggles with each other.

Author's notes: Please read and review. I might be a few days late with the next chapter.

Thank you to mtemplar, moontatoo, and the_ladyfeather for beta-ing this.

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_Chapter 13_

Commissioner Berkeley Rose observed Diana and her latest paramour work the room with her tray of candles. Not that her Beckham-clone was doing any work. His main job seemed to be holding the candles. Or was it gazing grimly at the guests? It was hard to tell. Diana, however, was doing a fine job. He admired her excellent hostessing skills. She had a way of attending to every detail while lighting up whichever part of the room she was in.

His attention was drawn away from Diana by a sudden loud squawk from the direction of his entourage. To his horror, he saw Pamela running frantically this way and that, her lovely long hair on fire. Why was no one helping her? Slamming his drink down on the coat check counter, he immediately stepped forward, only to be brought to an abrupt halt by the billowing of a curtain he had only vaguely noticed earlier. The person erupting through it nearly collided with him. Berkeley batted the curtain out of his way and was momentarily shocked by what he saw. Was that..._Ryo_ sprinting to Pamela's aid? But of course it was. His long, bare legs were a blur in the candlelight. What had he been doing behind the curtain? And why on earth was he half-naked like that?

&:&:&:&:&:&:&:&:&:&

Niko's whip cracked loudly as he used it to carve a second smile in one of the decorative pumpkins. This feat was greeted by squirms of excitement and sounds of admiration by his remaining slave.

Ted studied the slave analytically. It was driving him crazy that he couldn't figure out whether this one and its missing companion were male or female. He was currently about 60% sure that this one was female. Well, okay, 55%.

"There!" Niko said gloatingly to Dee. "I bet you can't do the same." He held out the whip in challenge.

"Not interested." Dee pushed the whip back toward him.

"Not skilled enough, probably."

Niko's voice was more than a little smug, and it grated on Dee, who was considering the pros and cons of sucker-punching the bastard.

"Like Serena said, this ain't an S & M par -- what the hell?"

Screams from the direction of the palanquin drew everyone's attention.

"Fuck, is that chick's hair actually on fire?" Ted yelped.

"Oh my God, that's Pamela!" Dee exclaimed. "And is that ... _Ryo_?"

"Go Ryo!" yelled Ted gleefully. "Look at that - he's putting out her hair with his pants. Holy shit. That's one thing I never would have thought of doing with pants."

"He's an absolute hero," said Serena fervently. "That poor girl." She touched her own hair unconsciously.

Pamela could be seen sobbing in Ryo's arms, while the Commissioner reamed out his palanquin bearers for horsing around like morons and not only causing the problem, but then not being man enough to do anything about it. They took his dressing-down without a word, too. What could they say in their own defense? It was Ryo who had saved the day, when they had just stood there gaping, like, well, morons.

Dee, Ted, Niko and Serena all moved closer so they could hear better. Gwen was assessing the damage to Pamela's hair with a professional eye.

"You're going to have a couple of thin spots," she said, but you're really lucky it didn't burn all the way up. You have no scalp damage. You're lucky your hair was so long and thick."

"Was?" Pamela started sobbing loudly again, rubbing her wet, sooty face all over Ryo's tunic.

This made Dee grit his teeth. At the rate they were going this evening, getting his deposit back on the slave costume was going to be damn near impossible. Despite having been given instructions to the contrary, JJ had also damaged the costume by splashing punch on it near the front hem. Dee decided that he was going to wring that little bastard's neck for him the next time he saw him.

"Come and see me tomorrow," Gwen said confidently. "I'll give you a cute little pixie cut."

Berkeley left the shamefaced bearers and came to offer comfort to Pamela.

"Berk!" she wailed, throwing her arms around his neck. "Look what happened to my hair!" She then proceeded to sob and snuffle all over him, too.

"There there, my dear. There, there," said Berkeley, looking helplessly at Diana.

"Take me h-home, Berk, please! Take me home r-right now!"

"Certainly, Pamela. We'll have someone take you home, immediately," said Diana firmly, stepping forward.

"But I want Berk-"

"Berk has to go over some papers for a kidnap case I'm working on," said Diana smoothly. "It's a matter of life and death. But Gwen will take you home, won't she?" She looked piercingly at Gwen.

"Uh, well, I don't even know where she lives," said Gwen, taken by surprise.

"You don't have to," said Diana. "She can still speak. Just ride in the taxi with her and offer her some feminine comfort and reassurance."

Gwen glared at Diana. "I think Trevor ought to be the one to take her home. After all, this is all his fault."

Trevor was the young palanquin bearer who had 'dipped' Pamela so that her hair dangled over a pair of candles.

"Yes, but I'm sure _you_ feel equally bad for standing around doing nothing while this poor girl was on fire," retorted Diana with authority. "This is your chance to redeem yourself somewhat, wouldn't you say?" She turned away from the open-mouthed Gwen, transferring her attention abruptly to the Commissioner. "Berkeley, give them some taxi money. I expect Pamela will feel better when she's at home drinking some hot tea. Trevor, get them their coats, and hurry up." She snapped her fingers, exactly like she did with her staff at work, and damn if it didn't have the same effect. Trevor hastened off toward the coat check area, grateful for any chance to make himself belatedly useful.

"B-but Berk ... " Pamela looked at him in confusion.

The Commissioner unwound Pamela's arms from his neck, and stood there holding both her hands clasped in his. "I'm sorry, my dear, but Diana is right about that er, kidnap case. Don't worry about a thing. You may have lost a little hair, but you're still beautiful. Go and see Gwen tomorrow, on me, all right?" He looked down earnestly into her tear-filled eyes. "She'll have you looking like Audrey Hepburn in no time!"

"But - but -"

"Oh look, here's Trevor with your coat. And it has a hood, too! How fortunate." The Commissioner hesitated, then picked the least sooty area on her face to kiss, which just happened to be her chin.

"Trevor," said Diana sweetly. "Please help Gwen on with her coat, too. Thank you so much."

Gwen looked resentfully at Diana and muttered something under her breath.

"Thank you both for coming to my party," Diana said graciously to Gwen and Pamela. "I'm so sorry you have to leave early like this, but perhaps we can try again next year, hmm?"

Then she asked Todd the bartender, who was hovering nearby, to make sure the concierge put both girls into a taxi. "And as soon as you come back," she added cheerfully to him, "I think we'll be needing another round of cocktails for the boys here." She pinched the cheek of one of the bearers sympathetically. "They look like they could use a little cheering up."

"Include me in that round, please," said the Commissioner with a weary sigh. He flopped down in a sitting position on his palanquin.

"Of course, Berkie. How can you think I would forget you?" Diana picked up an empty champagne flute from the coffee table and poured Cristal into it. "This should tide you over for now."

He accepted it from her with a speculative look. "Why thank you, Dee-Dee. You think of everything." He touched his lips quickly with his fingertip and then looked at it.

"Well, I try. Sometimes I even succeed." A secret smile briefly touched the corner of her mouth. "And no, she didn't get any soot on your face. Would you like to borrow my compact to make sure?"

Berkeley just grinned at her and shook his head.

As Diana started instructing Boris to move all the candles away from the vicinity of the palanquin, the Commissioner finally felt able to turn his attention to Ryo. The young detective was standing quite near him, and he found himself with a truly magnificent view. His face was just about at the level of Ryo's hips, and he realized that if he leaned back a little in the palanquin, he could almost see up the back of the other man's extremely short tunic.

When Ryo had been running toward Pamela a short time ago, the Commissioner thought he had caught a glimpse of what looked like bare buttocks. _Surely_ he must be wearing underwear? But then, perhaps not. The Commissioner had a feeling that Ryo had not intended to remove his jeans at this party, and had in fact only done so because Detective Adams had managed to cover him in punch. Therefore it was just possible that he had come out tonight without anything on under his jeans. The Commissioner reflected that he had gone out clubbing in a commando state himself once or twice, although he didn't make a habit of it. Well, it would be so simple to find out Ryo's exact underwear status. But...did he dare? He reached into his toga and withdrew the cigar he had tucked there during the hair-on-fire debacle, stroking his fingers sensually over its rough surface.

&:&:&:&:&:&:&:&:&:&

"Well, he's not in the men's room, either," said JJ. "I wonder where he's hiding?"

"Let's go back to the party and ask Diana, like you suggested," Drake said.

"Uhhh...I have a better idea! Let's go ask the concierge if Ryo left in a taxi. That's what he probably did. He probably went home to get some new pants."

"No, JJ," said Drake firmly. "First I want to go back to the party and check on Serena. I don't know if you noticed, but Ted was getting pretty friendly with her back there."

"Oh, that one doesn't want you to check on her. She's perfectly happy flirting with all the guys in the room," sniffed JJ.

"Well, when we were smoking outside, she was happily flirting with just ME. But then you came along and..." He trailed off. "Hey, it was pretty dark out there. How did you find us, anyway?"

"From the irritating squeaking of your and her stupid latex costumes rubbing together," muttered JJ.

Drake was silent a moment, appearing to study the rather striking faucet fixtures of the row of sinks off to his left, with a somewhat troubled expression on his square, rugged face.

"JJ, we're friends right?" He said this without looking at JJ.

"Right." There was a note of surprise in his partner's voice.

"You sure?"

"Drake!"

"Well... you know, I gotta ask. What the hell are you doing, man?"

"What do you mean?" JJ folded his arms stubbornly and leaned back against the wall.

"This. I got a woman out there who's interested in me. First nibble I've had in over two months of nothing. If this dry spell goes on much longer, my dick's gonna forget about its main job in life and start thinking that maybe pissing is all there is. And here _you_ are...pulling me away, being rude to her, acting strange. I mean, what gives?"

JJ decided not to beat about the bush. "Drake, I'm sorry, but she's not the right woman for you. She hangs with a fetishy crowd. Whips, leather, rubber, spanking, sex parties..." By the sudden gleam in Drake's eyes, JJ realized he wasn't exactly presenting a strong case. "Um...You wouldn't enjoy it, Drake. You think you would, but the reality is a lot different from the fantasy."

"How would you know?" Drake's voice was edgy and challenging.

"I--I don't, well not for certain. But I know you. You're not a kinky kind of guy. If someone came at you with a riding crop, you'd jump up onto the dresser. And if you think you're sweating in that latex suit now, wait until you're doing push ups on top of another person who's also wearing hot, sweaty latex. Sure, it'll be exciting, but it'll be stressful too. And in a few weeks, you'll end up alone again, as usual, only this time you'll have a couple of pricey latex outfits hanging in your closet that you'll never wear again."

Drake wanted to be angry. But he also wanted to smile. When JJ put it like that, it sounded, well, pretty unromantic.

"So are you saying that I ought to actually turn Serena down? That I should go home alone and once again have a little party with my right hand?"

"No," whispered JJ, taking hold of his bat-cape and pulling him closer. "I'm saying you should come home with me."

"What?" asked Drake, bracing himself against the wall with one forearm, while looking down searchingly at JJ's upturned face.

"You can spend the night. My new bed is super comfortable. And in the morning we can go out for eggs benny."

"JJ, do you seriously want me to give up a sure thing for a ... 'platonic' - I assume - pajama party?"

"Who said it was gonna be platonic?"

Drake froze, staring at JJ in shock. He felt paralyzed. He groped for a witty rejoinder, but his brain felt paralyzed, too.

"You liked it before, remember?" The voice at his ear was slightly breathless.

Drake felt JJ's hand on his ass, under his bat-cape.

Drake found his voice. "Yeah, but you apparently didn't."

"What do you mean, Drakey?" JJ bit Drake's earlobe gently, enjoying the quiver that this small action produced in the larger man.

"You never came back for more." Drake pushed himself back from JJ so that he could look at him.

"You never asked for more."

"What if I ask you now?"

JJ's only response was to pull Drake's head down and kiss him deeply.

When their lips finally parted, Drake's head was spinning and he felt as though his lungs were not pulling in enough oxygen for his body's needs. He also had a prominent erection announcing itself in the front of his latex 'bat-briefs'.

"I'll be straight with you, Drakey. We're not gonna have a relationship, 'cause I don't do relationships with straight guys. Or even 'bi-curious' guys, which I think just might be your new category." JJ smiled up at him mischievously. "But we're gonna have a hot night that blows your dry spell to smithereens. And in the morning we'll still be friends, unlike Miss Way-Too-Much-Make-Up over there."

"Okay," said Drake, panting a little. "Just let me go break it to her, okay? When my dick goes down, that is."

&:&:&:&:&:&:&:&:&:&

"So, Serena, tell me all about this stuff you and Niko here are so into." Ted grinned at her and tossed back the first of the two drinks he had managed to snag, although not without a certain amount of luck. That guy Todd, whom Diana had sent to find a taxi for the the Commish's two female dates, had needed a place to put his tray of Long Island Ice Teas before he left and Ted had been only too happy to take it off his hands.

"I'm sure it wouldn't interest you in the slightest," Serena responded absently, but without looking at him. She seemed to be scanning the room for someone.

"Sure it would. Like, what the hell is a 'tawse'?"

"Something you wouldn't want to be on the business end of."

"Come now, Serena, give the fellow a chance," said Niko. "Perhaps he would." He pursed his lips sensually and gave Ted an appraising kind of look that made the younger man feel alarmed, hostile and creeped out all at the same time.

"Oh, hey, look, here comes your slave back from the john." Grateful for a distraction, Ted gestured with his empty glass, and Niko turned around to look.

The slave Niko had earlier addressed as 'Rowan' walked slowly toward them with a rather unsteady gait.

"Are you feeling better now?" Ted asked kindly, thinking that he had been wrong earlier. THIS one had to be female. Well, maybe. Now that he could see the two slaves together, the other one looked more male than he had previously supposed, although they both had this androgynous EMO thing going on.

Serena laughed at his perplexed expression, and he grinned back. The Latex Goddess was reading his mind; he was sure of it.

Rowan rubbed his/her stomach and grimaced a little before smiling timidly up at both of them.

Meanwhile, Dee was staring at Ryo with mixed feelings. His lover, facing a small crowd of admiring men and women, was busy downplaying his daring rescue of Pamela. He looked utterly adorable in his skimpy slave tunic, with those shapely legs of his on display. The trouble was, Dee thought to himself, he was not the only person who had noticed how very perfect Ryo's legs were. While two of the women held up and exclaimed over Ryo's stained and now singed jeans, two more were looking him over as if they were crocodiles who were waiting for a particularly clueless zebra to wander just a _little_ closer to the waterhole. Dee was almost ready to kick himself for ever having come up with that totally stupid idea of trying to get Ryo out of his jeans. But wait a minute - hadn't it been Diana's idea? Hopefully Ryo would never find out about the scheming that had gone on behind his back. And if he did, Dee thought, he would make sure he blamed it on Diana.

Dee felt a hand on his shoulder and realized it was Serena. She looked from him to Ryo and back again and then smiled at him. "Is he yours?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said with simple pride. "Best thing that ever happened to me." He glanced at where Ted was attempting to engage the two bashful slaves in conversation. "But not all of our co-workers know about it, okay?"

Serena made a little zipping motion with her finger and thumb against her lips and then laughed. "I'm happy for you, Dee. Really I am. You and Kelly had such an up and down relationship, and the way she broke up with you was ... not very considerate, to say the least."

"I got over it." Dee shrugged, and then grinned at her. "But she sure was hot, wasn't she?"

Serena sighed and pretended to fan herself. "Stunning," she agreed. "Now are you going to introduce me, or what?" She indicated Ryo with one graceful hand.

"_I'll_ introduce you, Serena," boomed Niko's familiar, self-important voice. "I met him earlier. His name is Randy MacLean and he's an NYPD officer. Did you see his belt?" A chuckle rumbled out of his broad chest. "To think I believed I'd be the only man here with a whip tonight. Detective Laytner, are you SURE you won't take me up on my challenge?"

Dee whirled around and glared at Niko with something very like hatred, although his anger was more for himself. How could he ever have been such an idiot as to allow his gorgeous, innocent Ryo to appear in public in a slave costume with a whip tied around his waist? From getting Ryo into the slave costume, to getting him out of his jeans, Dee thought, this had definitely had not been one of his more brilliant nights.

At that moment, Ted offered a welcome diversion. "Hey, Niko!" he called. "What's wrong with your friend?" He pointed at Rowan, who was once more shooting across the floor in the direction of the restrooms.

"I wish I knew," muttered Niko, looking rather worried.

Because he was interested to see which restroom Rowan chose to go into - the men's or the women's, Ted was therefore watching when Rowan nearly collided with the returning Todd. The bartender managed to spring aside at the last minute, a slight widening of the eyes being the only outward sign that his composure had been even a little bit shaken.

Diana had noted the near collision too, and after assuring Ryo that Todd would be back in a minute to take his jeans, she slid over to where Todd was mixing up Caesars at the bar.

"That slave of Niko's keeps running to the washroom," she remarked.

"Yup." Todd was a man of few words.

"Hmm. Chocolate martini?"

"Yup." Todd poured liberal amounts of vodka into the cocktail mixture, and then added several dashes of tabasco. After a moment, he raised his eyes to see that she was grinning at him, and he flashed her a quick, relieved smile as he stirred the jug.

"Collateral damage," she said, and shrugged. "At least it didn't happen to someone I consider a friend."

"Agent Spacey, I hope to never be off your list of friends," said Todd dryly, which made Diana laugh.

&^&^&^&^&^&^&^

"Okay," said Dee to Serena. "I'll introduce you, but don't say anything about Kelly and the stuff we all used to do together, all right? I don't think he's ready to hear about that."

"Don't worry," she said. "I can tell just by looking at him that it would probably make him blush six shades of red. Hey - what's that toga guy doing?"

Dee looked where she pointed and was instantly seized by rage. The fucking Commish - damn his rat bastard ass to hell - was surreptitiously extending a long, thick cigar toward the hem of the oblivious Ryo's tunic! Another couple of seconds, and his partner's mostly naked ass would be exposed. Well, not if _he_ could help it.

Without a lot of time to consider his options, Dee acted purely on instinct. He turned and snatched Niko's whip from the astonished man's hand. In a flash he had shaken the whip out behind him and lined up on his target. Niko and Serena, understanding what was about to happen, quickly stepped back out of the way.

Ted, who had been alerted to the impending moment of drama by the way Niko's remaining slave was suddenly clutching onto his arm excitedly, looked up just in time to see the whip jerk up off the ground and snap toward Commissioner Rose and Ryo.

~end of Chapter 13~

Additional author's notes: For those of you who haven't read _FAKE First Year Together: A New Day (May)_, Drake and JJ first had sex in my Fakeverse about five months before this story takes place. They went up to Canada for a couple of days to investigate a murder suspect that they didn't have enough evidence to convict, and during that time, JJ introduced Drake to the pleasures of man-sex. Nothing about their trip to Canada was described in detail because _A New Day_ is basically Dee and Ryo's story, but the sex was referred to in Chapters 35 and 36.

Chapter 14 of Slave to a Gladiator is waiting for you at my Livejournal page, which you can find by going to my profile and clicking on the link. Another good reason to go there is that there are sexy illustrations by JDR1184 on the comments section of Chapter 13, plus a mini Berkeley/Ryo lemon, written by me. You can't see/read this stuff anywhere but there!


	14. Chapter 14

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_By Brit Columbia_

Chapter Fourteen

Fandom: Fake

Pairing: Dee and Ryo

Rating: Mature. Berkie is a bad boy. I know you pervs want to find out what happens, but don't click at work! Wait until you are safely at home with no grumpy bosses or nosy co-workers peering over your shoulder. But watch out for curious children, if you have any. Wait until they're safely in bed. Warning: Attempted non-con.

Spoilers: to Volume 7.

Disclaimer: Dee, Ryo, Drake, JJ, Commissioner Rose, Diana and Ted all belong to Sanami Matoh, who created the popular manga, FAKE. But James, Lily, Niko, his EMO slaves, as well as Serena the cat-eared whip-mistress, Todd the bartender, and Trevor and Cliff the palanquin bearers are mine. I was not paid in any way for writing this story.

Summary: Whips, pounces, jealousy etc. A gladiator and a slave get into trouble at the weirdest Halloween party ever. Pure crack!

Author's notes: Please read and review. Berkeley's cigar? It's a Gran Corona. Length: 235 mm. ( 9 1/4" ) However, his real life 'cigar' is a little bigger (and a lot thicker) than that!

Thank you to mtemplar, and the_ladyfeather for beta-ing this.

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_Chapter 14_

A loud crack almost directly in front of his face lopped almost four inches off the Commissioner's questing cigar. He gasped in shock and almost dropped the stump. Only long years of experience allowed him to keep his hold. Before he had gone into public administration, he had been a beat cop and then a detective lieutenant in his late twenties and early thirties. One of the most important lessons he had learned during that time was that a cop never dropped his gun in surprise if he suddenly found himself under fire. The cigar in his hand was hardly a gun, but old habits died hard. A quick glance off to his left showed him Laytner's glowering mug. He silently cursed the man for a fool. What an idiotic and risky thing to do just to make a point!

Dee immediately thrust the whip back into Niko's hands as heads started to turn in their direction, including Ryo's. There was a shocked murmur running through the crowd.

Ryo's searching eyes went from the whip in Niko's hand to the way that Dee was glaring at the Commissioner, his body tense, his fists clenched and one corner of his mouth lifted in a snarl. _Uh-oh, _he thought, _I've seen that look before._ He felt a tightening of the muscles of his gut, as he geared himself up to intervene if Dee flung himself on the Commissioner. But when he glanced down at Rose and saw the man's red face, and the severed cigar still gripped between white knuckled fingers, he realized that Rose had been up to something he shouldn't have. Why else would Dee be looking so incensed and Rose be looking so...guilty? Ryo's eyes dropped down to his own bare thighs, and in that moment, he felt overwhelmed with embarrassment. He specifically had not wanted Rose to see him like this! The man had probably been able to see right up his 'skirt', too. In a matter of seconds, his face was even more flushed than Dee's and the Commissioner's. He wasn't sure what had just happened, but he knew he had to get back to his hiding place as soon as possible.

"Did I miss something?" It was Diana, flanked by Todd, who was as detached as ever, and Boris, who had, for once, cracked a smile, although not a pleasant one.

All eyes veered in her direction and several mouths opened, but no one seemed to want to be the one to speak first. Diana took in the whole scene in one sweeping and acute glance: Ryo's distress and embarrassment, Dee's rage, Berkie's hand-in-the-cookie-jar expression, the trepidation on the faces of those witnesses who had seen the whole thing, and the confusion on the faces of those who had only just awakened to the fact that something exciting had occurred in their midst while their attention had been directed elsewhere. For Diana, it all came down to one thing. Berkeley must not be embarrassed or discomfited in any way. Because if he was, he would leave, and that was in no way in accordance with her plans.

"Oh, _I_ see. God, you guys will bet on anything, won't you?" She smiled knowingly at the group, hoping someone would catch on.

Someone did. "We sure will!" yelled Ted. "You name it, we'll bet on it! Right, 27th?"

An answering whoop came from the back of the room, as JJ approached the group. He didn't know what was going on, but he knew enough to support his precinct. "Yay, 27th!! Whoo-Hoooo!"

Diana folded her arms, satisfied. It was enough. Now for the FBI. She spotted Serena Telkes, head of the FBI's New York Cyber Crime Division, a woman whose diplomacy and common sense she respected. Serena had quite a colorful private life, as she recalled.

"Fill me in, Serena. Is this some kind of FBI versus NYPD competition?"

"Uh, yes, something like that," Serena replied. "But we're sorry if things got out of hand, Diana..."

"Are you kidding? If this is a matter of the FBI defending its status against the NYPD in a whipcracking contest, then I'm counting on you to restore our honor. Look, the other team has even got the Commissioner pulling for them! Are we gonna take that lying down?"

"Uh...No way!" said Serena, catching the look in Diana's eye, and following her lead. "FBI! FBI! FBI!" She clapped her hands and stamped one foot, as she turned in a slow circle looking for support. It was forthcoming, as quite a few of the invited guests were local FBI agents and support staff that Diana worked with whenever she came to New York.

"FBI! FBI!" they yelled back enthusiastically.

"NYPD! NYPD!" Dee, Ted and JJ countered, and suddenly, it seemed like everyone was laughing and cheering, and space was being cleared for a whip cracking contest.

Berkely's litter bearers drank their latest round of cocktails at Diana's urging, all of them looking quite relieved that their poor showing in the burning hair incident was about to be forgotten in the excitement of a new and unusual competition.

"Are you guys NYPD?" Diana asked Trevor.

"Nah, we know Berkeley from the gym. We play a little racquetball sometimes," he replied.

"Good, then does that mean I can count on you guys to cheer for the FBI?"

"Well, sure," he said with a smile. "Hell, I'll support a beautiful woman who keeps bringing me drinks! Whaddaya say, Cliff?" He elbowed the quiet one, the one who stuck too close to Berkeley for Diana's liking.

"Nope," Cliff replied quietly. "My heart is with the NYPD." He gave Berkeley an ardent look, obviously hoping for a smile or some encouragement.

The only response he got from the man he clearly adored was a regal nod of acknowledgment, but it seemed to satisfy him. Diana knew that feeling well: the feeling of being grateful for any small crumbs of affection from an essentially unavailable loved one. She had passed through that painful phase with Berkeley long ago, had come to terms with it, and now she was playing the game with more realistic expectations. However, she wasn't about to pay attention to any fleeting feelings of sympathy for a fellow casualty. She was a veteran gladiator in the heart-shaped arena where she and so many others regularly did battle for a piece of Berkeley's regard.

Nothing of what she was thinking showed on her face as she smiled at Cliff in a playful way and teased him about his choice. This one was going to be harder to dislodge than the others. It was too bad Berk was onto her about the chocolate martinis.

After handing over his whip to the willowy lady with the cat ears, Ryo slipped back to his little alcove, holding his now-beltless tunic firmly down over his buttocks. He was sure no one would notice him go, since Niko was in the middle of demonstrating something called the 'Cattleman Crack', and the audience was oohing and aahhing.

Ryo wasn't sorry to miss the show; in fact, he was determined not to appear in public again until his jeans were back from Laundry. Todd had apparently handed them over to the Concierge, who had no doubt promptly ordered an underling to deliver them downstairs.

Ryo sighed and wondered how long it would be before he saw his jeans again. He wasn't sure they could be salvaged anyway. In addition to the pomegranate punch stains, they had also taken some damage from the flames in poor Pamela's hair. However, no matter what shape they came back in, he still needed them to wear home. He shifted uncomfortably on the slightly shabby chaise lounge in the safety of the alcove. Why on earth had he consented to wear this uncomfortable thong? It was absolutely the worst type of underwear to be caught trouserless in. It offered no coverage or protection whatsoever. Furthermore, the firm ribs of the velveteen corduroy weave that the chaise lounge was upholstered in seemed to press painfully against his bare and still-sensitive buttocks.

And where was his partner, the man who was responsible for pretty well all his misfortunes this evening? He was out there showing off with a whip, allegedly defending the honor of the NYPD. He probably had money riding on the outcome, which was typical of him. And why was he supposedly so good with a whip, anyway? What the hell was that about? Ryo stared grumpily at one of the Monet prints, trying not to feel so resentful.

"Hey there, handsome!" It was Diana, a cheerful smile on her face. "Aw come on, don't be so down in the dumps. Look, I brought you a drink. That bastard Ted drank your last cocktail, so I made you this one myself."

"Thanks Diana. What about you? Are you going to stay for a few minutes?"

"Sorry, no can do! Gotta dash out and smooth things over with the front desk. They're a little worried about all the whip cracking that's going on up here, not to mention the candles and the burning hair. I need my phone, too." She dug about in the little pink make-up bag on the counter and triumphantly produced a small silver mobile phone. "Enjoy your drink! I'll be back as soon as I can." She slipped back out through the curtain and was gone, leaving Ryo alone once more.

He lay back on the chaise lounge, sipping his drink and hoping it would enable him to relax. He found himself feeling quite forsaken, all by himself in this pretty, but empty little room. He wished Dee would come and visit him. But Dee was busy amusing the masses, as usual. It was just the kind of person he was, Ryo thought. Dee was always at the center of a group, telling stories or jokes, or doing something outrageous. There was no point in getting mad at him about it. One might as well get mad at a playful otter or monkey for doing what otters and monkeys do, or scold the wind for blowing or the sun for rising. Dee was Dee, and deep down, Ryo didn't really want him to be any different.

He found himself starting to feel very relaxed indeed. He wasn't used to drinking cocktails, and this one had seemed rather stronger than usual. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a little nap, just until his jeans were ready and he was therefore able to go home. Ryo set his empty glass on the floor and dozed off right in the middle of making a mental note to himself to stick to wine in the future.

On her way downstairs to the lobby, Diana spotted Todd coming back from delivering Ryo's jeans to the concierge. She had been keeping an eye out for him because she had another couple of things for him to do. She felt a little guilty because she had kept him hopping busy from the moment that he had started work tonight, but she knew she could count on his efficiency and discretion. Not to mention his loyalty. Todd was definitely one of her favorites.

"They need several cans of soda for targets," she told him, stopping in the middle of the staircase. "It's gonna end up all over the floor, so make it club soda if you can. Cleanup will be easier that way."

"Hm. I'll get a mop, too," said Todd.

"One more thing," Diana said, dropping her voice a little. "I need you to find out someone's last name for me... and anything you can about his occupation."

Todd listened without comment as she elaborated, and then he nodded. "Will do."

&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&

The Commissioner forced himself to watch with an expression of interest as Laytner performed a whip crack called the slow figure eight. He raised his hands afterward, and applauded along with the other supporters of the NYPD. That black-haired bastard had even had the nerve to dedicate another crack called the 'snake-killer' to him! The Commissioner watched the show with a lazy smile on his lips, but those who knew him well would have noticed the smoldering anger in his eyes. How he wished he could have Laytner in his power (with no witnesses of course) just for an hour or two. He would cure the man of his little insubordination problem forever, so much so that his friends and co-workers would be truly amazed. Laytner would be a better man for it, too.

He shifted restlessly on his palanquin, and his mind moved in other, more pleasant directions. Perhaps while Detective Laytner and everyone else were so busy with their little contest, it might be a thought to go and see how Ryo was doing. He had an idea where to find him, too.

&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&

Drake turned sideways and checked himself out in one of the men's room mirrors. Yep, that was just his normal bulge. No one could accuse him of having a hard-on. He looked searchingly at his face. He couldn't quite believe that he was about to go out there and turn down a chance to go home with a beautiful and exciting woman in favor of a night of sexual activity with another male, and one that he worked with, moreover. What was that JJ had called him, 'bi-curious'? His partner was right about that. He wouldn't call himself gay, but he WAS curious, and he hadn't had much experience with men. Apart from an incident he only vaguely remembered from high school, in which he had awoken from a drunken stupor to find the elder brother of one of his hockey teammates performing an act of fellatio on him, JJ had been the only man he had had sex with. It had happened several months ago on a cabin cruiser, during their trip to Canada. Neither incident had gone anywhere or been repeated.

His teammate's brother acted like nothing had happened the next day, and as for JJ, he had gone right back to his worship of the elusive 'Dee-sempai' upon their return to the city. Sometimes it seemed to Drake like he was not destined to have any kind of lasting connection with anybody, since every woman he had ever gone out with always broke things off with him sooner or later. Although that wasn't strictly true with JJ. Nothing had changed between them last time, and although Drake had been a little insulted that JJ had not seemed interested in pursuing the matter, he had to admit that he had been relieved that they still had a normal friendship and working relationship afterward. No matter what happened tonight, they would still be friends tomorrow, as his partner had said.

Now, all he had to do was to find the guts to go out there and tell Serena that he wouldn't be going home with her after all. The thought filled him with dread. He hoped she wouldn't yell at him. Or cry. Crying would definitely be worse. There had been lots of yelling and crying forthcoming from the women he had dated in the past, often for reasons that he was still in the dark about.

He left the restroom area and walked back towards the party room. At the doorway, a small fast-moving form clad in an outfit that seemed to consist mostly of leather straps held together with a few silver chains here and there barreled into him and they both went down in a jumbled heap.

"Oh! Oh! Oh!" gasped the person - Drake was genuinely unsure whether it was a boy or a girl - "Let me go, quick! It's an emergency!" Frantic struggling ensued.

"Sure, just a moment." Drake realized that the creature was wearing a collar with a leash attached to it, and that the leash had somehow become twisted around his bat-cape when they had fallen. He used his one free hand to unfasten the buckle on the back of the collar, and suddenly the little slave was twisting away from him, dashing off in the direction of the restrooms.

A few seconds later, Ted appeared, craning his neck this way and that. His eyebrows shot up at the sight of Drake sitting on the floor with a leash wrapped around him and collar in his hand. "Hey man, what happened to you?"

"A minor collision with a... a... well, I'm not sure what the costume was. Either a dog or a slave. Yeah, a slave, I think."

"Boy or girl?"

"Damned if I know. Here help me with this leash-thing, wouldya?"

Ted knelt and helped him unwind it. "Mens' room or ladies' room?"

"I didn't happen to see. Why the hell do you care?"

Ted shrugged. "I don't, not really. I'm just curious, that's all."

"Well, you can wait here and find out, if you want. I have to go and talk to Serena."

"Serena? You know Serena? Man, what a hottie! Didya see the hooters on her?"

"Yeah, I saw them," said Drake with a little grimace. "See, she's supposed to take me home to her place later. I gotta go talk to her." He headed into the ballroom, leaving Ted standing open-mouthed behind him.

"She's supposed to - to take... _you_?" All thoughts of staking out the bathrooms forgotten, he hurried after Drake, saying "Wait a sec! She didn't say anything about that! Are you serious, bud?"

They walked past the palanquin where Todd the bartender guy was sitting talking earnestly to one of the bearers. Serena was performing a complicated volley routine with a whip in each hand, snapping out what sounded like a rock and roll beat while her rapt audience clapped along.

Dee grabbed Ted's arm and pointed excitedly. "Hey dude, good thing you didn't miss that! Awesome, huh? Do you have any idea how difficult it is to do that with two different-sized whips?"

"Yeah, she's pretty awesome," agreed Ted glumly, shooting a sideways look at Drake. Why didn't Batman look happier? He had secured the prime chick in the room, but he was looking kind of nervous and down for some strange reason.

Serena reached her finale and then tossed both whips high in the air. Catching each by its handle as it descended, she performed a sweeping bow, which taxed the ability of her latex bustier to keep her abundant breasts in check. Ted could have sworn he saw a hint of rosy nipple-top when she stood upright again. The audience erupted into noisy applause, and Niko, who had appointed himself as a sort of master of ceremonies, stepped forward to explain what Serena had done and to announce the next trick that he would be performing.

"Serena, I -" Drake began.

"Drake! Where were you for so long?" she was smiling, flushed with the excitement and effort of carrying out her whip routine. "Well, never mind. Did you find your friend?" She took his hand and gave it a squeeze.

Drake was aware of the proximity of JJ. He couldn't see him, but he KNEW his partner was somewhere nearby, probably scowling. He could just feel it.

"Serena, I...I have to talk to you," Drake said quickly, but words failed him, and he just stood there, blushing and feeling uncomfortable.

She let go of his hand and looked at him closely for a long moment. Her smile didn't disappear, it just...got _different_, in a way he couldn't have explained, even if he had wanted to.

"I take it there's been a change in plans?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm really sorry," Drake muttered, looking abashed.

"May I ask why?"

He hesitated, wondering if he should give her some ego-salvaging story about a sick grandmother or something, but in the end, he found himself unable to lie to her face to face.

"Serena, it's not you. You're the most gorgeous woman in the room. You've got everything going for you, and I can't believe that you even wanted to talk to me, let alone go to bed with me."

"But?" she prompted, rotating one hand impatiently.

"Um, it's been, um, brought to my attention that I'm, ah, 'bi-curious'," he said, blushing furiously.

To his surprise, she threw back her head and laughed. "Drake, _I _could have told you that!" she said.

"Me too," interjected Ted, who had been, unbeknownst to Drake, shamelessly eavesdropping.

"Screw you, Ted!"

"Man, I hope not," muttered Ted.

"Don't worry, Ted. You're not in ANY danger, whatsoever," sniped JJ, who had also been shamelessly eavesdropping from a position more or less directly behind Drake.

"I wish I could believe you," said Ted glumly.

"What on earth are you talking about?" asked Serena.

"The curse of our precinct," Ted informed her. "Guys come in straight, and naturally think they're gonna stay that way, despite the fact that the 27th is a teeming hotbed of gay intrigue. But next thing they know, they're being seduced in broom closets and having strange new feelings of gayness." He shook his head and gave her a mock-confused look. "But not me," he added. "Not yet, anyhow. They'll probably get me eventually, though."

"Ted, do you mind?" demanded Drake peevishly. "Serena and I were talking."

"No Drake," she broke in. "I believe we're finished talking. You and JJ are talking now. And I'm having a conversation with Ted." She held out her arm to Ted, who took it delightedly and led her away.

"Careful tonight, man," he couldn't resist calling over his shoulder to Drake, half snickering. "Remember, curiosity killed the _bat_."

Drake gave him a double middle finger salute and let them go.

&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&

The Commissioner surreptitiously slipped around the side of the heavy velvet curtain he had witnessed Ryo emerge from earlier when he had rushed to save Pamela.

Ah, there he was, fast asleep in a tumble of shapely limbs on a chaise lounge in the corner. He lay on his side, his light brown hair softly falling back from his face. Ryo had a youthful face under normal circumstances, but with his features softened by sleep, he looked even younger and more innocent than usual.

The Commissioner's observant eyes swept over the room. Was that... lotion on the counter? And a box of tissues? Lord, if this wasn't the setting for a fantasy! It was too bad that sweet Ryo wouldn't see it the same way if he were to awaken precipitously. Rose hoped that the younger man was a deep sleeper, because his desire to see what kind of underwear, if any, that Ryo was wearing had done nothing but grow since the all too brief moment that he had seen Ryo running to Pamela's aid.

On silent feet, he moved toward the chaise lounge.

&.&.&.&.&.&.&

Dee scanned the room for the third time, hoping to catch sight of Ryo. He would be performing in a minute, and the showoff inside him wanted Ryo to watch him carve up cans of club soda with his whip. Where had his partner gotten to? He spotted Diana plying the Commissioner's now quite tipsy bearers with yet another jug of drinks. She would know where Ryo was. Hadn't she said something about a room near the coat check? He would ask her as soon as she headed over this way.

"Hey Dee!" It was Ted. "You gotta help me out, man."

"What's up?"

"Your friend Serena. She's thinking about maybe taking me home tonight, but she's worried that I'm too innocent for her! Shit, can you believe it? Me, innocent? Just 'cause I didn't know what a tawse was."

"If you're going home with Serena, trust me, you don't want to know what a tawse is."

"Come on, Dee, you gotta talk to her for me. I must be giving off a vanilla vibe here. Can you convince her I'm a sex-beast?"

"What the hell do you expect me to say? That I slept with you and your screams of passion nearly got me evicted?"

"Be serious, would you, dude? Just tell her I've got a rep with the girls in the typing pool or something."

Dee sighed exaggeratedly and rolled his eyes. "All right then. But you owe me one, got it? As in beer. And I want food, too."

"Dude, if you can talk her into going to bed with me, you can watch the Seahawks fuck the Raiders at my place next Monday, beer and burgers provided by yours truly."

"Okay, I'll be right back." Dee strode over to Serena.

&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.

Ryo awoke to the delicious twin sensations of Dee's hand caressing his thigh, and his lover's lips nibbling softly on the side of his neck. "Dee," he breathed, stretching languorously, and abandoning himself to the sexy little chills that the other man's touch was causing to run all over his skin. So Dee hadn't forgotten about him, after all.

"Sexy," Dee's voice came out as a muffled groan against the back of his neck. Ryo could feel his partner's body stretched out behind him on the chaise lounge, and he lay there in a sleep-fuddled but semi-aroused state, enjoying the sensations. He would have to stop Dee in a minute of course; after all this was hardly the time or place for them to be getting up to anything. There wasn't even a proper door on this room, only a curtain.

What Ryo found most sensual of all was that while Dee's left hand was sliding up under his tunic to stroke his bare hip, the other hand was over his eyes. He felt as though he were wearing a blindfold. Oddly enough, it created a strange illusion of privacy, which seemed almost to shut out the world beyond the curtain. He started to shift on the chaise lounge, trying to roll onto his back. Dee's hand moved with him, staying over his eyes.

"Dee, kiss me," Ryo whispered.

The second Dee's lips descended onto his, he knew that something was wrong. There was no sweetness, only conquest. The mouth felt wrong, the taste was not Dee's!

Ryo jerked his head back, wrenching at the hand that covered his eyes. "You!" he hissed.

&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&

"Hey," Dee said to Serena. "I see you're getting all cozy with my buddy Ted."

"Well, Ted's a real sweetheart," she replied, looking a little doubtfully at him. "But you know me, Dee. My tastes are somewhat ... how shall I put it ... out of the ordinary? I don't want to traumatize the poor boy."

Dee grinned at her. "Believe me, it would do Ted good to be traumatized. Besides, he's not as vanilla as you think."

"He's not?"

"Nah. He's got all kinds of perverted desires, but he doesn't know how to find a woman who's willing to do him the way he wants to be done."

"Oh, and how is that?"

"Well," said Dee dropping his voice conspiratorially, "he's got this huge pegging fantasy. He told me about it because I'm bi and I've kinda got a rep for all the shit I got up to in my younger years. I guess he figured I might understand."

"He wants to be pegged?" Serena looked surprised. "I wouldn't have 'pegged' him for a bend-over-boyfriend type."

"Well, me neither, but he told me he rented that movie seven times!" Somehow, Dee managed to keep a totally straight face as these words left his lips. Ted was gonna kill him, not having ever said any such thing. But if his co-worker ended up actually letting Serena peg him, there was a chance he'd never mention it.

"Which movie? _Bend Over Boyfriend_?"

"Yeah. Either that one or _Strap On Chicks_. I forget which."

"Hmm." Serena looked over at Ted, who was standing next to Rowan and Jordan. He waved at her, and she blew him a kiss.

"So I think that although he probably wouldn't go for anything heavier than a little mild flogging, he'd jump at the chance to give you his butt-cherry," Dee whispered evilly, hoping that God didn't have him under surveillance right at that particular moment. "Don't tell him I told you, though."

Serena smiled, and made that little lip-zipping motion she had made earlier. "I won't, Dee. Hey, any chance I can be introduced to your boyfriend before we leave here tonight?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll get Diana to reveal his secret location for us right after I do my bit for the NYPD with this here whip. Stick around for a little while, okay? Ted's butt has waited all these years; it can wait another ten minutes."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to miss your performance," she said. "You haven't lost your accuracy, judging by the way you shortened the Commissioner's cigar earlier."

"Bastard." Dee's eyes narrowed, and he looked around. "Where the hell is he, anyway?"

"Dee!" called Niko, obviously having left behind the cold formality of 'Detective Laytner', now that they were whip-wielding teammates. "Everyone's waiting for you. Are you ready?"

"You kiddin'? I exist in a state of readiness." The Commissioner temporarily forgotten, Dee strode forward to take his place in the center of the circle of spectators.

Squeals went up at the sight of him, a tall, well-built man in a gladiator costume, with a whip in his hand, no less. Cell phone cameras flashed as photos were taken, and he struck a series of grinning poses for his admirers, completely unhindered by any hint of modesty.

"Jordan would like to assist you with this trick, Dee," said Niko in a loud voice. He stood with a hand on the shoulder of one of his slaves, the one that was NOT running to the toilet every five minutes.

"Oh?" said Dee, looking doubtfully at the shyly smiling slave.

"Show him what you can do, my sweet," Niko said encouragingly, and Jordan promptly began juggling six cans of club soda.

Dee held both whips in either hand, Niko's six-foot bullwhip in his left hand and the four-foot signal whip that had been a part of Ryo's costume in the other.

"As Jordan tosses each can in the air, I'm gonna spank it with the small whip and slice it in half with the bigger one," he announced. "Remember, stay back out of harm's way. If Jordan tosses a can toward you, run like hell!"

The crowd laughed at his joke, but he and Jordan both knew that he wouldn't be cracking either whip close to the spectators.

"Ready?" Dee caught Jordan's eye. "Throw!"

A can of club soda went sailing through the air. True to his word, Dee snapped the small whip at it, puncturing but not cutting it right through, and a second later, the second whip sliced the spraying, spinning can in half, a mere eighteen inches before it hit the ground.

The crowd howled and clapped, even the non-NYPD members.

"Little higher next time, okay?" Dee said out of the side of his mouth toward Jordan, who nodded earnestly and tossed the second can up as high as possible.

&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.

"You!" repeated Ryo with horror.

"Yes, I'm afraid so." The Commissioner's voice was a little unsteady, but still smooth and urbane. He immediately released Ryo and rolled off the chaise lounge and into a standing position. If the young detective was going to throw a punch at him, as he appeared to be contemplating doing, Rose preferred to be on his feet.

"How dare you?" Ryo's eyes flashed. "I thought you had at least _some_ integrity."

"Please consider my behavior just now to be something in the nature of a practical joke. And don't expect any apologies. I'm afraid I can't bring myself to regret one second of that... delicious, responsive squirming."

"Get out of here this instant! Get OUT before I knock you into the middle of next week!"

Without taking his eyes from his opponent, and trembling with unexpressed rage, Ryo rose to his feet with his fists clenched, ready to carry out his threat if the leering Commissioner did not leave immediately. Unfortunately, he promptly stumbled over a cushion that had fallen onto the floor. He staggered forward and Rose caught him, seizing the opportunity to pull him close once more. For a breathless moment Ryo found himself held tightly against the Commissioner's broad chest where he could feel the man's heart pounding against his own. But suddenly, one of the Commissioner's hands sneaked down to his thigh and slid up under his tunic to his thong-covered ass.

"Sir!" he protested, struggling madly to get his balance back.

"Ah, just as I thought," murmured the Commissioner smoothly. "Welts. I think perhaps you were a disobedient slave earlier. Did he fuck you after?"

He had no sooner gotten those words out than there was a thudding explosion of sparks on one side of his face as Ryo's fist connected with his jaw and sent him spinning back out of the alcove.

&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&

~end of Chapter 14~

Chapter fifteen's on my LJ, which you can access from the homepage link in my profile. I hope you're enjoying this story. The next post will be in either one week or two, depending on whether I can get chapter 16 written this weekend. Christmas Party season has begun!


	15. Chapter 15

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_By Brit Columbia_

Chapter Fifteen

_Fandom_: Fake

_Pairing:_ Dee and Ryo

_Rating:_ We might be back to mature here, although there's quite a bit of violence.

_Spoilers:_ to Volume 7.

_Disclaimer:_ Dee, Ryo, Drake, JJ, Commissioner Rose, Diana and Ted all belong to Sanami Matoh, who created the popular manga, FAKE. But James, Lily, Niko, his EMO slaves, as well as Serena the cat-eared whip-mistress, Todd the bartender, Agent Boris Brasov the David Beckham look-alike, Gwen the hairdresser, and Trevor and Cliff the palanquin bearers are mine. I was not paid in any way for writing this story.

_Summary:_ Ryo and Dee attend Diana's Halloween party, dressed as a slave and a gladiator. The Commissioner has been roused to new heights of badness by the irresistible sight of Ryo in his skimpy tunic. Dee, naturally, takes exception. Whips are cracked. All hell breaks loose.

_Author's notes_: I believe in a strong and equal Ryo and Dee. My Ryo swears occasionally, but only under strong provocation.

_Thank you_ to mtemplar and the_ladyfeather for beta-ing this.

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_Chapter 15_

As Ryo's fist sent the Commissioner reeling out of the alcove, Ryo himself lost his balance and staggered forward after him. They went tumbling against the curtain together and somehow managed to bring it down on top of themselves before the astonished eyes of the other party guests.

"What the - " Dee lowered his whip, his attention no longer on the can of club soda Jordan had launched a half-second before. Todd, who had just handed Diana a cell phone with one hand, stepped forward briskly and caught the descending can of soda in his other hand before disappearing back into the crowd. No one noticed because they were all staring at the heaving, roiling curtain on the floor in front of them.

There appeared to be two men under it, fighting...or something. The shrouded figures seemed to be struggling with each other, one cursing and one laughing. Were they wrestling? Then there was a thudding sound, like a fist making contact with flesh, and the laughing abruptly stopped.

"Outta my way!" Dee strode forward urgently. He had a feeling - a very strong feeling - that the mystery as to where Ryo and the Commissioner had gotten to was about to be solved.

"Berkie!" called Diana anxiously. "Is that you in there?"

"Yes, Diana," came the Commissioner's muffled voice. "If you would like to be of assistance, kindly get this curtain off Detective MacLean and myself before he does me an injury."

"That skulking, low-down, weasely scumbag!" Dee exploded, his face flushing with fury. "What the hell is he doing under that curtain with my Ryo?"

"When will he learn?" whispered JJ, rolling his eyes at Drake. "That sexless dried out stick of a man is _nobody'_s Ryo. Dee-Sempai is just wasting his - "

"Shh!" said Drake. "I think he's gonna - oh shit -"

Dee took aim with his signal whip at one of the figures crawling on his hands and knees toward the edge of the curtain. That was where the Commissioner's voice had come from. Last time he had let the bastard off easy, but not this time. That son of a bitch had clearly had his slimy hands all over Ryo, and now he was going to pay.

"Dee, no!" yelled Diana and Drake at the same time as the whip went hissing toward its target, but they were too late. The end of the whip cracked as it struck the raised buttocks of the man who was within a couple of feet of being free of the curtain. This action promptly produced a loud "Yeeeee-ow!" of pain. A quick backhand snap of the wrist and Dee landed another blow. That asshole may have a fancy leather chair in his office, but he wasn't going to be able to sit down on it for a week, he thought maliciously.

The savage grin of triumph on Dee's face gave way to one of ludicrous dismay when he saw the face of his victim. Ryo shrugged the velvet curtain off his shoulders and leapt to his feet, yelling and clutching his buttocks with both hands.

"FUCK!!" he yelled, and then swore a blue streak while jumping around in pain.

"Some slave," muttered Jordan critically to Rowan, who nodded in agreement, arms folded.

Behind him, the Commissioner had also emerged from underneath the curtain, glasses askew and hair standing up, and he was staring at Ryo with his mouth open. He had heard the two whip cracks along with everyone else, although he hadn't been in a position to see what was going on. What the hell had happened to cause Ryo to start springing about, hollering, and holding his buttocks? Surely Laytner hadn't.... Oh, but he had! Laytner was the only person holding a whip, and the expression on his face was really something to see.

As Berkeley got to his feet, his glasses in his hand, Diana glided over to him and whispered, "Make yourself scarce for a while, Berkie. I'll do what I can."

Although he was loath to miss whatever was going to happen next, Berkeley deemed her advice to be his best possible course of action at that time. After all, Ryo's anger was positively incandescent, and although that fool Laytner appeared to have sealed his fate by inadvertently whipping his partner, Rose was sure that Ryo's thoughts would presently return to the role that a certain NYPD Commissioner had played in his current state of discomfiture. Yes, disappearing to the men's room at this point would perhaps be the wisest thing he could do.

Ryo eventually stopped all the hopping as the horrible, shocking sting of the lash simmered down from searing agony to a more bearable burn. At that point, his eyes lighted upon Dee, whose stricken face was advertising his guilt like a neon billboard in Times Square.

"Dee, you complete dickhead! I take it you're the one who's responsible for the un-fucking-believable pain I'm in right now?"

"Ryo, I'm so sorry! It was an accident - "

JJ listened indignantly as Ryo cussed Dee out. Couldn't that uptight, emotional retard understand the concept of 'accident'? How dared he spaz all over poor Dee like that! Dee's, and for that matter, the Commissioner's, attraction to Ryo continued to be a great source of mystery to JJ. From his perspective, the man had exactly two settings: dull, boring, self-effacing bump-on-a-log, and angry, scolding, violent freak. When he was in that second mode, he sure let loose with the swear words, though. It was always something of a surprise to hear such language from Ryo. JJ wouldn't have admitted it, but he was actually a little afraid of Ryo when he was in that state.

"Baby, I'll do anything, only pl - "

"Don't you 'baby' me! Give me that whip right now! This instant!"

Ryo snatched it out of Dee's hand and said, "Do you have any IDEA how much pain I'm in because of you?"

"Uh, well, yeah - "

"You think so? Well, you're shortly gonna be in that much pain, too! Turn around!"

"Ryo, no!" Dee's eyes widened in genuine fear, and he started backing away. "Those things do real damage, you don't understand - "

"Oh yes I do understand! My butt understands PERFECTLY! Now turn around!"

Dee did, but only to make a run for it. He would have made it to the door too, if Agent Brasov hadn't rather treacherously kicked a coffee table into his path, which caused him to lose his footing and wind up sprawled on the hard floor. Ryo caught up with him in a flash.

"Don't try to escape, Dee! I mean it! I'm not giving up until your ass hurts as much as mine. Turn over!"

"Help!" yelled Dee. "Somebody stop him, for the love of God! He's gonna send me to hospital!"

"You big baby!" snapped Ryo. "You can dish it out, but you can't take it, huh?" He swung the whip back, ready to strike.

At that moment, JJ flung himself bravely between Dee and the whip, his arms out.

"Stop, Ryo!" he cried passionately. "I can't allow you to hurt Dee-Sempai. I will shield him with my _body_, if necessary!"

An appreciative murmur at this act of heroism ran through the crowd.

Ryo regarded JJ through a jaundiced eye. "Fine," he said. "I owe you some payback for throwing fruit punch all over me, anyway. I suppose THAT was an accident too?"

"I did it for love!" JJ's voice rose in fear as Ryo snapped the whip off to one side a couple of times. "But love is something that a cold fish like _you_ wouldn't know anything about!"

"You did it for love? What the hell are you talking about?"

"JJ, quit talking," said Dee quickly from his position on the floor.

"JJ," called Drake anxiously. "Come away from Ryo. Dee's a big boy, you know. He can take care of himself."

Ryo snapped the whip again, but more powerfully this time, and the crack it made caused everyone to flinch, including JJ.

"Keep out of this, Drake," he ordered. "JJ's not going anywhere until he tells me why he tossed punch all over my jeans and what _love_ had to do with it."

"Oh my God," said Serena to Drake. "I feel bad now for thinking that JJ was exaggerating when he asked you to save him from this Ryo person!"

"Ryo's usually not like this," said Drake. "Only when he's really, REALLY pissed off. This is the first time I've seen him this mad. Most of the time he's a super nice guy."

"Man, this is the best Halloween party ever!" sighed Ted happily.

"Run for it, Mr. Sexy," JJ stage-whispered loudly to Dee, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "_I'll_ cover for you."

Dee glanced at the door and saw that Agent Brasov had taken up an unobtrusive position next to it. There would be no quick escape that way. Damn it, he was going to get revenge on that FBI cocksucker if it was the last thing he did, and to hell with Diana. There was a large potted plant nearby, however. Maybe he could take refuge behind that. He just needed to keep himself shielded until Ryo's blood cooled. Man, his beloved could be scary at times.

"Ready, JJ?" Ryo raised the whip. "You still wanna take one for Dee? Here it comes!"

"EEEEEEEEEEK!" JJ's resolve abruptly crumbled and he scuttled off to one side, hurling himself straight into Drake's waiting arms.

Ryo snorted with contempt, and turned his attention back to Dee, who had slithered behind some kind of potted shrub and was now cowering there instead of coming out and facing him.

"Dee, get out here and take it like a man!" Ryo cracked the whip at the plant, shearing off the top twelve inches of its foliage.

"Not 'til you calm down, dude! Ack!" Dee ducked as low as possible as the whip next severed a branch near his head, sending a small shower of vegetation down on top of him.

Ryo tried to raise the whip again, but found that something was stopping him. He turned to see what the whip had gotten caught on, and saw a beautiful, slender woman wearing cat ears and a latex bustier facing him. One high-heeled black patent pump was firmly pressed on the tail of the whip.

"Detective MacLean," she said, inclining her head respectfully. Her voice was gentle and feminine, and her eyes were full of compassion. She held half of a raggedly severed soda can in her hand.

"Ma'am," said Ryo guardedly. "Would you mind taking your foot off my whip?"

"In just a moment, Detective. I certainly agree that Dee deserves a bit of pain for what he did to you - "

"A _lot_ of pain!"

"All right, a lot of pain. But I can't allow you to cut his flesh open and leave him permanently scarred."

"What are you talking about?"

"A whip, especially one wielded in anger, can do serious damage. Easily. I'm talking stitches and scars. Do you really want to see your partner's blood all over the floor?"

"What? No, of course not..."

"Look at this." She held up the sliced soda can. "That whip you're holding did this while you were out of the room." Serena knew that wasn't technically true, as it had been the bullwhip that had done it, but she didn't think Ryo needed to be acquainted with that detail. Plus, from her own experience, she was aware that if cracked hard enough, a signal whip could do almost as much damage. "This soda can is made of metal and the whip cut it clean through. Imagine what it would do to human skin. Dee's skin."

Ryo's reddened face suddenly drained of its color, and his stricken eyes darted from the cat-lady to Dee to the whip in his hand. Abruptly, he flung it from himself as though it had burned him. "Oh my God," he breathed, his hand flying to his mouth. "Dee..."

Everyone crowded forward, all talking at once. Serena put her arm around Ryo and led him away, after asking Ted to keep the other guests back. Dee tried to follow them, but she gave him a look that warned him to keep his distance for now. She guided a dazed-looking Ryo to a nearby sofa and settled him down on it. Almost immediately, he sprang back up with a soft cry of pain, his hand once more on his backside.

Todd materialized with a packet of ice cubes wrapped in a linen napkin that was monogrammed with the initials of the hotel. He handed it wordlessly to Ryo and melted away.

"Let me see your injuries," Serena said gently, but Ryo shook his head rapidly. This night had contained enough humiliation already. He wasn't about to expose his thong-clad ass to a strange woman he had just met, no matter how nice she seemed.

"I'm an expert on whips." There was confidence, but also kindness in her voice. "You're looking at the three-time winner of the Tri-State Whipcracking Championships. I've also whipped rather a lot of consenting human beings," she added. "Recreationally, not professionally."

"Um..." Ryo's face got even hotter as he tried to digest this information. "All right," he finally said. "But not here, not with everyone so interested. Let's go to the coat check area where we can maybe find a bit of privacy. I think I'd like to put my coat on, too. I don't think I've ever felt so... exposed."

&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&

"Thanks a LOT, JJ," snapped Dee sarcastically. "_'I did it for love!'_ Why the hell did you have to say that? Ryo's not stupid, you know."

"Hey, give JJ a break!" Drake protested angrily. "He was facing down an irate guy with a whip. Who cares what he said?"

"Thanks to you, I'm in even MORE trouble now," grumbled Dee.

"Thanks to yourself, you mean. I don't know how you get yourself into these messes. I know you were aiming for the Commissioner when you had whatever brain wave made you swing that whip, but if you'd gotten him, you'd be unemployed right now! At least there's a possibility that Ryo will forgive you. And you have the nerve to bitch at JJ for saving your sorry ass?"

"It was Serena who saved my sorry ass," muttered Dee ungraciously.

"Yeah, she may have scored the goal, but it was JJ who made the assist," said Drake, who was fond of hockey analogies. "And I think you owe him an apology." He folded his arms and waited.

"It's okay, Drake," said JJ meekly. "Dee's right. I shouldn't have opened my mouth like that. I was just so scared! I couldn't think straight."

"Okay, okay," said Dee irascibly, rolling his eyes. "I apologize, JJ. Thanks for tryin'. But next time, keep your mouth shut, okay?"

"Okay!" JJ brightened up considerably and gathered himself for a pounce. He stopped however, when he felt Drake's hand on his shoulder.

"Ahem!" Drake said meaningfully, a slight pinkness to his cheeks.

That reminded JJ of the night ahead, so he pounced on Drake instead. "Thanks for sticking up for me, Drakey! Come on, let's go. The night is yet young and we've got things to do."

"We sure do," murmured Drake in a husky voice that made Dee look twice at him. "Should we say good night to Diana?"

JJ shuddered. "No, let's just take this opportunity to escape. I wouldn't put it past her to hand me a mop and make me start cleaning up the spilled soda."

"You're right. Let's just get the hell out of here. Ciao, Dee! Good luck getting Ryo to forgive you!"

"Yeah, whatever. Fuck off, you guys."

&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&

"It's not too bad," Serena said encouragingly. You've got a couple of nasty stripes that are already starting to bruise, but he didn't break the skin. You're lucky you had that thick curtain protecting you, or you would have been cut for sure."

They stood between two aisles of coats in the coat check area. The lighting was not the best, but at least they had a certain amount of privacy for Serena to examine Ryo's weals away from prying eyes.

"That bastard! What the hell was he thinking?"

"I'm sure he wouldn't have done it if he'd known it was you," she said. "But it was a _really_ stupid thing to do, and I don't think he should be allowed to get away with it, do you?"

"No, but what can I do? I don't want to injure him." Ryo spread his hands. "By the way, thank you for stopping me. I don't think I could have ever forgiven myself if I had really hurt him."

"You're welcome," she said. "But don't be thinking that there's nothing you can do." She leaned a little closer and dropped her voice just in case someone was lurking nearby and listening. "Don't forget that I'm an encyclopedia on the subject of punishment without permanent marks or health complications."

"Er... " Ryo blinked at her, feeling his face go pink again. "I suppose you are."

"Would you like a few suggestions?"

His mouth tightened, then twitched in a half smile. "Yes," he said. "I believe I would."

&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^

~end of Chapter 15~

Chapter 16 is on my LJ. If you want to read it, go to my profile page and click on the link to my homepage.

Thank you for reading. Season's Greetings! I hope 2009 is a great year for all of you.


	16. Chapter 16

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_By Brit Columbia_

Chapter Sixteen

Fandom: Fake

Pairing: Dee and Ryo

Rating: I regret to report to my loyal perv-fans that this chapter is worksafe.

Spoilers: to Volume 7.

Disclaimer: Dee, Ryo, Drake, JJ, Commissioner Rose, Diana and Ted all belong to Sanami Matoh, who created the popular manga, FAKE. But James, Lily, Niko, his EMO slaves, as well as Serena the cat-eared whip-mistress, Todd the bartender, Agent Boris Brasov the David Beckham look-alike, Gwen the hairdresser, and Trevor and Cliff the palanquin bearers are mine. I was not paid in any way for writing this story.

Summary: Dee's in big trouble with a very disgruntled Ryo, but it's his own damn fault.

Author's notes: Please read and review. Happy Halloween! More in two weeks.

Thank you to mtemplar and the_ladyfeather for beta-ing this.

**Slave to a Gladiator**

_Chapter 16_

"Whatever you're doing down there, it sure looks hot," drawled Diana.

Ryo yelped and whirled around, hugging his coat tightly closed against his body, his face the very picture of mortification.

Serena remained on her knees and smiled wickedly up at Diana. "Perhaps you'd like to come down here and help me."

"Maybe I would. It looked like you had a magnificent view there until he went apeshit and covered it up."

Ryo's mouth gaped open as if he might perhaps have something to say, but nothing managed to find its way out.

"Well he's a little skittish right now and I can't say I blame him," said Serena with a sympathetic glance up at the extremely embarrassed NYPD detective. "You've got to admit - he's kind of had a lousy evening so far."

"Yes, he certainly has," Diana agreed. "And it's pretty well all Dee's fault."

"Agent Spacey, a moment?" Todd was back, standing attentively at the end of the aisle they were in.

"Yes, hon, what is it now?"

"The banquet manager and his assistant are re-hanging the curtain for now, but they say it's going to have to be replaced. The whip apparently cut two slashes in the fabric."

"Crap! Can't they patch it?"

"Patch it?" Todd drew himself up, looking shocked. "The New York Palace Hotel? Impossible!"

Diana sighed. "How much?"

"It's a twelve foot high Venetian velvet curtain. Terry says at least a thousand dollars. Maybe more."

"What? I'm gonna KILL that Dee! Todd, tell you what. Please ask the hotel to send the bill to the 27th Precinct, attention Dee Laytner, spelled A-s-s-h-o-- "

"Wait, Diana. You know Dee will only ignore the bill and it's just gonna come off your credit card," Ryo said. "Am I right? This room is your responsibility, isn't it?"

"Yes, dammit." She ground her teeth. "But I'll beat that money out of your partner if it's the last thing I ever do."

"That'll be kind of hard, considering you're on the West Coast most of the time. I've got a better idea," Ryo said grimly.

"What's that, sweetie?"

"Make the Commissioner pay for it. He was the one that brought the curtain down, after all. Tell him if he doesn't pay for it, I'm going to file charges against him for sexual assault. He won't enjoy the publicity, I think."

"You sure, Ryo? 'Cause I think _you_ won't enjoy the publicity, either."

"Just tell him." Ryo's voice was as hard as granite. "He'll pay. Hell, he probably spends almost as much as that on an evening out, considering the size of the entourage he finds it necessary to drag around. Tell him it was my idea too," he added savagely.

"Well, you're right," mused Diana. "I think he probably will pay. I'll get him to settle it up with the hotel tonight. And I'll pass on your little message, too, if you want me to."

"Thank you. I do."

Todd bowed gracefully and disappeared.

"You know, you're lucky that curtain was there," Serena said to Ryo. "The whip would have cut you instead of the curtain if you hadn't had that layer of protection in place."

Ryo just looked at her while thinking to himself that if the curtain hadn't been there, Dee would have been able to see whose ass he was aiming at and he wouldn't have been whipped at all. He was too much of a gentleman, however, to point this out to her.

"Well, as you said, it hasn't been my lucky night. It was pretty crummy even _before_ Dee went and laid a whip across my behind in front of thirty-odd people," he said bitterly. "It started going wrong even before we arrived, but I think the moment of no return was when JJ doused me with a whole bowl of pomegranate-raspberry punch! At first I thought it was an accident, but now I'm not so sure."

"Oh, that was no accident, sweetie." Diana dropped down next to Serena and reached for the tube of ointment that was in her hand. "What's this? Special salve for whip disasters?"

"Actually it's called 'Arnica'," said Serena. "It's an excellent anti-bruising agent, and contrary to what you might be thinking, I did NOT arrive with it stashed in my evening bag tonight. Your assistant brought it. What's his name? Todd?"

"Yes, Todd! He thinks of everything, and he's cute, too. Isn't he wonderful? I think I'd like to marry him if I didn't have at least ten years on hi- "

"Now, just wait a New York minute!" Ryo broke in furiously. "What did you mean when you said it was no accident that JJ got me with the punch?"

"What I said, pretty boy. And I'll tell you everything I know if you let me stay down here next to Serena while she puts that Arnica stuff on your perky little butt."

&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&

"Rowan, where's your collar?" Niko's voice was stern and the slave cringed.

Todd strode up, balancing a tray of drinks with professional grace on one palm. In his other hand he held Rowan's missing leash and collar. "The gentleman dressed as Batman gave me this before he left, sir," Todd informed Niko.

"Oh, er, thank you." Niko took the collar and turned back to Rowan, demanding to know how the slave's collar had ended up in the possession of another man. He trailed off when he realized that the bartender was still standing there. "Was there something else?" he inquired stiffly.

"Yes, sir. The Commissioner is waiting for you in the lobby. He asked me to tell you that since he lost his first cigar in the excitement of the whip-cracking contest, he would be obliged if you would join him in the courtyard ASAP and provide him with another."

The frown disappeared from Niko's face. "The Commissioner, eh? Just the opportunity I've been waiting for." He turned and snapped his fingers. "Jordan, bring the cigars and come with me. Not you, Rowan. You stay here and contemplate whether you truly want to continue as my slave. We'll be back later."

Niko tucked a folded bill into the breast pocket of Todd's black vest before bustling away with Jordan. Rowan stared after them, stricken. Niko had taken the collar and leash with him.

"Here, drink this. It should settle your stomach." Todd held out a small glass of thick pink liquid, which Rowan accepted hesitantly.

"Um...Thanks," whispered the slave and sipped it absently, while watching the departure of Niko and Jordan with tear-filled eyes.

&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&

"Niko, you're not leaving are you?"

"Serena, what are you doing hiding in coat check?"

"Well, I was about to put this bandage on Detective MacLean's bruises, but the minute he saw you coming, he dived between these coats here and disappeared."

"Detective MacLean is in here with you?" Niko seemed delighted. "Randy? Are you there? I want to apologize to you."

"You do?" Ryo's suspicious face popped up over the top of a rack of coats. "What for?"

"The way I spoke to you earlier. I mistook you for a submissive. But when I saw you cracking that whip over Dee's head just now, I realized I had been wholly mistaken. You have the makings of an excellent top."

"Er...um, ahem! Ah...Thanks, I guess..."

"You had every woman in the room palpitating at the sight of your magnificent, wounded fury. I think you're a natural, and should you ever wish for a mentor - "

"Now, now, Niko. I saw him first! Off you go, now. Jordan's got your coats. Where's Rowan?"

"In the doghouse. I'm going outside to smoke with the Commissioner, but I've told Rowan to wait here. Honestly, I don't know what's gotten into that child tonight. Drinking alcohol without my permission, running back and forth from the restrooms also without my permission, daring to remove my special monogrammed collar..." Niko shook his head and tsked sadly.

"Niko, a slave's behavior is always a reflection of their master's management. If you're not able to control Rowan, it's your fault." Serena folded her arms and looked at him unsympathetically.

"Hmm, you may have a point there. Do you think - "

Ryo cleared his throat rather loudly and said, "Niko, isn't the Commissioner waiting for you?"

"Oh! Yes he is. Thank you for reminding me. Serena, could we possibly discuss this later?"

"Yes of course, Niko. But before you go, do you think that Detective MacLean might borrow Rowan's collar and leash? Just for tonight?"

"I don't see why not." Niko handed it over. "Rowan will have to earn it back again, anyway."

&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&

Diana walked up to Cliff, who was sitting somewhat dejectedly on the palanquin, no doubt waiting for Berkeley's return. He seemed mostly sober, unlike the other three bearers who were sitting cross-legged on the floor nearby, singing an off-key rendition of 'Margaritaville'.

"Cliff, doll, is this your phone?"

He looked at the phone in her hand, while compulsively feeling in the pocket of his tight leather pants. "I guess it is. I must have lost it."

"I guess you must have," Diana agreed. "One of the guests gave it to me. Apparently, it's been buzzing a lot. Seems like someone really wants to get a hold of you."

He thanked her and flipped it open. She left him checking his messages, and had to practically clench her hands into fists to keep herself from dusting them together. It wouldn't be long until _he_ was out of her hair.

&^&^&^&^&^&^&

"WHAT?" Dee stared at Serena and Ryo with incredulous eyes. "This is all your doing, you witch! What kinds of things have you been filling his innocent head with?"

"Those are the terms," Ryo said. "For starters. And just so you know, Serena talked me down from something much, much worse." That wasn't exactly true. He had been ready to give up all claim to revenge out of remorse for how close he had come to drawing Dee's blood in his wrath. But then Serena had made several rather interesting suggestions, and when Diana had offered yet another damning indictment against Dee, he had found himself in complete agreement with the two women that Dee needed to be taught a lesson.

"What could be worse that me having to wear that tiny slave costume of yours? It doesn't even fit me! My ass is gonna be hanging out the back, for fuck's sake."

"You're just lucky I'm allowing you to cover your ass with underwear, you son of a bitch. When you manipulated me into wearing this stupid... _thong_, I think you already had a plan for getting me out of my jeans. Am I right about that?"

"What? You mean you're actually giving some weight to that crapola that JJ was spouting? Come on, Ryo, since when do you listen to him?"

"When my 'spidey-senses' are tingling, that's when." Ryo gave Dee a long, piercing look that caused a faint flush to rise on his lover's cheeks. "What do you have to say about my jeans? Go on, give me whatever lame excuse you've got ready for that one. I'm waiting."

Dee hesitated and then quickly said, "It wasn't my fault! Diana was the one - "

"Yes?" said Serena sweetly. "What did Diana have to do with it?"

Dee's suddenly suspicious eyes went from Ryo's face to Serena's and back again.

"Spidey-senses, my ass. That shit never worked on me, and you know it. You've been talking to Diana, haven't you?"

"Yes, we have," said Ryo after glancing at Serena. "And it just so happened we talked to her right after she had learned a couple of interesting things from JJ. Luckily, she caught him before he and Drake left for the night."

"JJ! That fuckin' traitorous little blabbermouth! Just wait 'til I catch him at the office tomorrow! I'm gonna stuff him head first down the trash chute! And then I'm - "

"Dee, just can it for once." Ryo's voice was brusque. "You screwed up big time, you got caught, and now it's time to make it right. That is, if you've got the guts."

Ryo took a step back and looked Dee up and down, arms folded.

"Whaddaya mean, 'if I've got the guts'?" demanded Dee. "When have I ever been short of guts? Huh?"

"When it comes to being honest with me, if you really have to be told."

"Aw baby, you know - don't tell me you don't know by now - that I'm always honest with you about the _big_ things."

"Dee, what is this if not a 'big' thing? What we did earlier, before we came to this damn party...that was - that was- " Ryo looked away before continuing, a slight tremor in his voice. "That was pretty big for me. But what was it for you? A casual seduction game, that's all. You let me think it meant more to you than it really did. Then, thanks to you, I got stuck wearing this demeaning costume in a highly public place. And if that wasn't enough, you manipulated me into this friggin' thong, and conspired with JJ to take away even the small amount of dignity my jeans were able to offer me." He stopped to look accusingly at Dee, who was watching him with a slowly dawning expression of understanding.

"Then you pretty well abandoned me while you went to play whip games with your friends, so when the Commissioner came looking for me, I had to deal with _him_ on my own." Ryo flung up a hand to forestall Dee from speaking, as his wide-eyed partner had suddenly opened his mouth. "Let me finish, Dee! Anyway, that's okay, I don't need your protection. I was doing all right with that situation, although certain things probably wouldn't have happened if you'd been watching my back for me like you usually do. But right in the middle of me letting the Commissioner know he couldn't treat me like his own personal plaything, you had to take it upon yourself to whip the hell out of my totally innocent and already sore butt."

"Baby, I'm - "

"Shut up. I'm not done. I really don't care how sorry you _say_ you are at this point. I'm interested in a real apology, not a bunch of meaningless words."

"Meaningless? How can ...?" Dee looked at Ryo, his hands reaching out toward him in misery and confusion.

"Yeah, meaningless. You jerk me around and you think all you've got to do is smile and act like a big, overgrown puppy dog and say, 'Sorry, babe!' and tell me a couple of lies so I'll forgive you." Ryo slapped Dee's reaching hands away. "And that's another thing. In addition to my other terms, I want complete honesty from you for a change. You're always going on about what an honest guy you are and how you have the courage to tell the truth when others don't, and all that." He glared grimly at Dee, who was looking down despondently at his sandaled feet. "But you've been dishonest and sneaky with me on several occasions today, resulting in discomfort and humiliation for me. Me, not you! Don't you feel the least bit ashamed of yourself?"

"Yes, I do," muttered Dee bleakly, lifting his head to meet Ryo's eyes.

"Good," said Ryo. "You should. But I still feel like I need a rest from you after tonight. I don't wanna see you for a while, Dee. Not even at work. I'm thinking about using those vacation days I was planning to carry over to the new year. It might be a good time for Bikky and me to go and visit Aunt Elena for a week or so. And I don't wanna see you for a while after we get back, either."

"What? But you were gonna use that vacation time to go away with me after Christmas! It's gonna be our first real vacation together as a couple. Don't you wanna go to a hot, sunny place together? I mean, what do you want from me? I'm sorry, okay? Really, I am! I know I've been an idiot."

"What do I want? I want you to prove to me that you're sorry and that you're not going to pull any crap like this again."

"Okay, I will. Whatever you need from me. I'll do anything - anything - if it'll make you forgive me."

"Do you agree that you deserve to be punished?"

Dee nodded. "I let you down big time. Yeah, I deserve to be punished."

"All right then. We're gonna go to the men's room and switch costumes. Then you're going to put this slave collar on yourself and hand me the leash, along with your free will. Understand?"

"Yeah. But just so we're clear on the details, I have to wear this costume and leash for the rest of the night, and that's my punishment, right? After that, you'll forgive me? You won't use your vacation days to go stay with your aunt like you threatened, and you'll still come to Jamaica or somewhere else hot with me in January? You won't shut me out?"

"Yes Dee, I'll forgive you and we'll still go on our vacation together. But you're going to have to endure a little more than just simply wearing a slave costume and a leash."

"Uhh...Like what?" Dee looked at him warily.

"You'll find out shortly. I'm afraid the costume and the leash are just the beginning of your punishment."

Dee gazed at him for several long seconds, as if trying to gauge how sincere he was.

"Aw hell," he finally said quietly. "You're serious, aren't you?"

&^&*^&^&^&^&^&^&^&

~end of Chapter 16~

Chapter 17 is on my homepage, which you can find a link to on my profile page. Thanks for reading.


	17. Chapter 17

**Slave To A Gladiator**

_ By Brit Columbia_

Fandom: Fake

Pairing: Dee and Ryo

Rating: I'm pretty sure this chapter is worksafe. No one has any sex or gets naked, although there is a bit of kink.

Spoilers: to Volume 7.

Disclaimer: Dee, Ryo, Drake, JJ, Commissioner Rose, Diana and Ted all belong to Sanami Matoh, who created the popular manga, FAKE. But James and his girlfriend Lily, Serena the cat-eared whip-mistress, Cliff the palanquin bearer, and Niko and his EMO slaves are mine. I was not paid in any way for writing this story.

Summary: Dee has agreed to be Ryo's slave, but he's having a little trouble with the concept.

Author's notes: Please read and review. And, just in case I haven't mentioned it recently, I believe in a strong and equal Ryo and Dee.

Thank you to the_ladyfeather and tripple_p for beta-ing this.

**Slave To A Gladiator **

Chapter 17

The Commissioner stood in the lobby, his sumptuous red cape hanging regally from his powerful shoulders. He was looking forward to the fine cigar he would soon be smoking with that oddly-dressed cigar and whip devotee, Niko Kominos. Rose wondered how it was that Diana knew such a person. Had she slept with him, perhaps? The man seemed to have quite a strong interest in the BSDM scene. Could it be that his Dee-Dee had dabbled in that world? Rose tried to imagine it - Diana, tearful, naked, her hands bound behind her and a red ball-gag in her mouth. No. The picture just would not consolidate. She was too tough and impatient to hold still for games like that. After all, this was a woman who was trained for combat with sixteen different types of weapons, unless she had added a few more since they had last talked about it. She could kill a man with her bare hands. She presided over a staff of thirteen and had been known to reduce them to quivering jelly if they disappointed her. No, he couldn't imagine her being submissive with anyone - except occasionally himself. He smirked at the thought.

Ah, there was Niko now, at the top of the wide, sweeping staircase, talking self-importantly to his mute slave. His ridiculous black leather and brass ring costume must have cost a fortune. About halfway down the stairs, Niko paused to flirt with a young woman wearing a very skimpy nurse's outfit. To the Commissioner's utter mystification, she stopped and flirted back.

Rose noted with annoyance that Niko, like himself, was also wearing a cape, except his was made from a heavy black velvet. Niko struck him as a man much taken with appearances, who was clearly trying to reclaim his lost youth. The Commissioner snorted softly to himself. If Diana _had_ slept with Niko, he definitely wouldn't have ended up being the one holding the whip.

The two whips brought by Niko and Ryo respectively, had certainly livened up the evening. The Commissioner's mouth twitched in amusement as he recalled watching Ryo jump about in pain, his hands pressed to his tush after Laytner had inadvertently cracked a whip across his co-worker's buttocks. Rose felt guilty for enjoying the sight, but oh, he did enjoy it. First of all, there was the payback issue. Ryo had just socked him in the jaw and caused him to land ignominiously on his ass with a large, dusty curtain on top of him, in front of a roomful of people. Secondly, there was the way Ryo's very short tunic lifted and flapped with his movements. As Rose already knew from his hurried fondling of Ryo back in the alcove, the man was wearing a tight, silky black thong. A very revealing thong that would have remained hidden from all eyes if not for the unfortunate twin mishaps of punchbowl and whip. To Berkeley, the thong was emblematic of Ryo's sexuality. The young detective projected an external image of being very proper and easily shocked, but deep down, there was a well of hidden passion so deep that not even Laytner, for all his obvious effort, seemed able to plumb the depths of it._ But _I _could_, the Commissioner thought to himself,_ if he would just let me._ His sweet, innocent, blushing Ryo must be a real animal when he let loose.

It had been hard to see the globes of his ass cheeks since his hands were covering them, but the Commissioner got a couple of glimpses of the undersides of them. He had always known that Ryo had a very beautiful ass; he had just never expected to see it practically bare in a public place. What a fascinating person that young man was, full of contradictions and surprises. Imagine wearing a_ thong_ with a costume like that!

But the part he would never forget was that couple of minutes when he had first climbed onto the chaise lounge behind a sleepy Ryo, and laid hands on him. The young detective moved so sensually under his hands - welcoming him, even asking for a kiss! It was unfortunate that Ryo was under a misapprehension about just whom he was being caressed by. Wonderful though his warm responsiveness had been, the Commissioner had still found it vaguely hurtful when Ryo discovered the truth and reacted with such... disgust. That was the only reason he could think of as to why he had gone further beyond the bounds of propriety than he had originally intended. It hadn't been very prudent of him to seize Ryo a second time and taunt him about the sex play he had evidently been engaging in earlier. He closed his eyes in self-recrimination at the memory. He couldn't believe he had actually asked Ryo if Dee had 'fucked him after.' That was the only time he had ever used the 'F-word' in Ryo's presence. He made a point of never using that word in his daily life unless it was in a sexual situation with a lover. And Ryo was definitely not one of his lovers.

He sighed. However... something else, something rather intriguing tugged at his memory. If he wasn't mistaken, it seemed to him that there had been a kind of instinctive response from Ryo at the moment when the Commissioner had crushed his large body against the younger man's, and boldly caressed the weals on his still-warm ass. He used that hand to pull Ryo's groin toward him, and he felt - he was certain of it - a stirring in front. Just a flicker. But then of course had come the shock of the fist to the jaw, and those few brief moments of intimacy had been lost in the subsequent pandemonium. Feeling vaguely melancholy, he put a hand to the sore spot on his jaw. It was very, very rare that anyone rejected his advances, particularly with the use of violence. That was twice now that Ryo had punched him. Had Laytner received the same sort of vehement rebuff? He had to wonder.... The sound of his cell phone ringing jerked him out of his reverie. He plucked it from his belt and checked the call display. It was Diana.

"Yes, my dear?"

"Is Niko with you?"

"Not yet, but I see him coming down the stairs with his slave."

"Well, before he gets there, I just want to fill you in on a couple of details about the kidnap case."

"What?" Rose was genuinely surprised. "Would this be the very same case you mentioned to Pamela earlier?"

"Yes, Berkie, it would be. Now please stop talking because I--"

"Well, well, Dee-Dee. I confess myself astounded that you have time for work on top of everything else you've accomplished this evening. I was under the impression this kidnap case was merely a figment of your imagination designed to smooth rough waters and send Pamela home with a minimum of fuss."

"This is no figment, Berkie. It's the real deal. I need your help."

"Can it wait until after my cigar?"

"I'll need you to look at the paperwork later, of course, but for now, let me just fill you in quickly before Niko gets down the stairs. This involves him, so don't let on what we're talking about, okay?"

"My dear, you intrigue me."

&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&

"What now?" asked Dee, feeling extremely self-conscious. Serena and Ted stood next to Ryo, looking him over with unconcealed interest. Actually, in Ted's case, it was more like unholy delight.

He was snickering, the foul bastard. At least the Sea Hag was off to one side, intent on a phone conversation she was having with someone. Dee didn't think he could stand it if she teased him about his ill-fitting new costume and his soon-to-be punishment, whatever the hell it was.

Frankly, he was more than a little worried about that. Ryo had evidently been talking to Serena, and Dee remembered from the old days how very imaginative Serena was on the whole subject of punishment. There had been a few times when he and Serena had worked on Kelly, his ex-girlfriend, together, and remembering how she had made Kelly thrash and squeal made him want to break out into a cold sweat as he considered that the same treatment might be applied to him. Apart from the obligatory initiation spanking, he had never bottomed in that crowd. He had only functioned as a top. There were lots of things they liked to do that he wasn't really into.

He hoped that none of those things were going to happen to him in what was left of tonight. Sneaking a quick peek at his watch, he confirmed that it was close to nine o'clock. Surely, Ryo was starting to get tired.

"Nice," said Serena, giving Ryo an admiring look. "You make a splendid gladiator."

"Thank you," said Ryo, who privately agreed with her. He felt he should have had this costume from the beginning. If he and Dee ever dressed like this for Halloween again, next time they could _both_ be gladiators. Dee should have considered that in the first place.

"Dee," he said, turning to his sulky-looking partner. "Are you ready to accept me as your master?"

"Yeah," said Dee, looking uncomfortable.

"Well then, put the slave collar around your neck, hand me the leash, and speak the words Serena taught you."

Dee heaved an exaggerated sigh and did as he was told. When the collar was buckled into place around his neck, he handed the end of the leash to Ryo, and said, "Master, please take me as your slave tonight."

"Will you obey all my commands without question?"

Dee hesitated, and Ryo could see how nervous he was. But he had no choice. "Yes, Master. I will."

"Good. Then, I accept you as my slave."

Serena and Ted applauded, and a couple of other people nearby clapped, too, even though they didn't seem to be totally sure what they were clapping for. Dee wished they would go away.

"Nice dress, there dude," said Ted. "Next time, try to buy one in your size. You're kinda showing a lot of skin. The zipper doesn't even do up at the back."

"Shuddup, asshole."

"Dee!" Ryo spoke sternly. "Slaves are not permitted the luxury of insulting non-slaves. Apologize immediately."

Dee flushed and glowered at everyone. "Sorry, asshole," he said to Ted.

Serena and Ryo exchanged glances. Dee eyed them uneasily for a moment before returning his hostile gaze to Ted.

"Someone's gonna _get_ it..." sang Ted softly.

Dee couldn't stand it. It took every ounce of self-control he had not to rip off Ted's lion ears and stuff them down his throat.

Slave," said Ryo, "bend over this sofa right now."

"What?!"

"You said you would obey me without question," Ryo reminded him softly, but his eyes were severe. "That sounded an awful lot like a question."

"But- but-"

"Do it." Ryo's voice, still soft, nevertheless managed to cut like a whip.

Dee felt himself flush even redder as he took two reluctant steps to the sofa and bent over it as directed.

"Ooooh!" said a chorus of female voices, and Dee swore softly under his breath. They seemed to be attracting a few onlookers. What the hell was Ryo going to do? The skirt of the slave costume was so short that once he had assumed this position, it rode up quite high in back. He was really fucking glad he wasn't wearing a thong. Whoever had invented thongs for men deserved to be hunted down, shot, pissed on and then hung up by his underwear. It was partly because of that thong he had talked Ryo into wearing that he was in so much trouble tonight.

Ryo's next words, which were spoken quite close to Dee's ear, echoed that very thought. "Aren't you lucky _you're_ not wearing a thong?"

"Yes, Master," muttered Dee, head down. After a moment, he risked a quick look at Ryo out of the corner of his eye. Ryo was shaking his head, but was smiling at him. Although the little bastard was clearly enjoying having him in his power like this, there was affection in his eyes as well.

"Slave," said Ryo straightening up. "I regret the necessity of having to punish you, but you've brought this upon yourself." He slowly withdrew the plastic sword from the scabbard that hung on his new costume's sword belt.

"Oh no, not the sword!" quavered Ted in a dramatic falsetto.

Dee gritted his teeth and consoled himself with thoughts of what Ted's unsuspecting and virginal butt was likely going to feel like later, after Serena had cracked open her box of toys and gotten busy on him.

"How many, Serena?" asked Ryo.

"Just three whacks for now," she said. "This is only his first lesson, after all. Three hard ones will let him know you mean business."

"I can't believe JJ is missing this," said Ted. "James and Drake, too. Hey Dee, should I call them?" He got out his cell phone and waved it around.

Dee turned his head and stared incredulously at Ted. "Not unless you want to end up in surgery later, getting that fucking thing removed from your left lung."

Ted took pity on him, mainly because Ryo was also looking a little nervous at the suggestion that his co-workers might return.

"Don't worry, I'm kidding," Ted said. "I'd hate to interrupt whatever JJ's doing about Drake's 'curiosity', and I'm pretty sure that James and Lily are already knockin' boots by now."

"Ready, Slave?" asked Ryo, fondling his gladiator sword. It was about two feet long and three inches wide, and made of fairly stout grey-colored plastic.

"Yes, Master," Dee replied quietly.

Ryo swung the sword back and quickly, before he lost his nerve, brought the flat of it down across Dee's buttocks. Dee's ass cheeks contracted tightly with the shock of the blow, but the only sound he made was a very soft grunt.

"Ouch," said Ted appreciatively.

"Ryo, perhaps a little harder on the next one," suggested Serena.

"Now just a God-damned minute!" protested Dee.

"Quiet, Slave!" ordered Ryo and Serena together.

Diana turned around, still talking on her phone, and her face lit up at the sight of Dee bent over the sofa with his 'skirt' hiked up and his black briefs on display. "Berkeley, darling, I'll call you back later," she said quickly. "That's all you need to know for now. Just make sure he pays the tab for the ballroom before anything else happens, 'kay?"

Grinning appreciatively, she strolled over to the group by the sofa. "Wow, I knew you'd get into trouble in your first thirty seconds of being a slave," she said to Dee. "Hey Ryo, are you done or will you give him a few more whacks?"

"Two more," said Ryo, raising the sword again.

Dee cringed in anticipation, but luckily for him, there was an interruption. Cliff, the only sober member of Berkeley's group of palanquin bearers, came rushing up to Diana with his jacket over his arm.

"Ma'am," he said, his face creased with worry. "I'm afraid I have to leave immediately. There's an emergency I have to take care of. Have you seen Berkeley?"

"Oh gosh, an emergency? So sorry to hear that," said Diana, wide-eyed. "How awful for you. Of course I understand that you have to say good-night, and I wish you the best of luck with it."

"Thank you," he said quickly and then asked about Berkeley again.

"Oh, he's around here somewhere," said Diana, waving a casual hand. "I'll be sure to tell him that you had to leave."

"Actually, he's--" Ted began, but Diana interrupted him in that scary-sweet tone that could be so frightening at times. "Ted, darling, let the man go. He did say it was an emergency, after all." She made shooing motions toward Cliff. "Go, sweetie, go. Don't let us hold you up. Kisses!"

Suitably dismissed, Cliff turned and hurried away.

"What happened?" asked Serena. "Is anyone hurt?"

"No, nothing like that," said Diana. "Just some problem with his business, I heard." She turned back to Ryo and Dee and rubbed her hands together gleefully. "Well, Ryo, are you going to give him those two smacks or not? If not, can I do it?"

"No, Ryo, I mean, Master!" yelled Dee in panic. "Don't let her touch me!"

"I'll think about it," said Ryo to Diana. "Maybe later. But for now, the pleasure is mine."

"Aw," said Diana. "Well, okay then. At least we get to watch. Hey, Dee," she said teasingly. "You gonna bawl like a baby? You gonna beg him to go easy on you?"

Dee glared at her with dislike. "Let me remind you," he said, "that I grew up in an orphanage with a bunch of short-tempered nuns. With rulers."

"Oh yeah? I've heard some guys have fantasies like that. But no matter how many lickings you got, I'm sure you deserved them all. Just like you deserve this one. Ha. This is going to be good. Let him have it, Ryo."

"Diana, please stand back," Ryo said politely. Then he swung the flat of the sword again, this time in an undercut motion so that it landed with a loud thwack! on the undersides of Dee's buttocks, lifting him onto his toes.

Again, Dee made no sound, but his face and neck got really red and he appeared to be holding his breath.

"Now that was a good one," said Serena approvingly, but Ryo looked concerned.

"Dee, are you okay?" he asked.

Dee didn't answer for a moment, but then he slowly let out his pent up breath. "Yeah, baby," he whispered, and even managed to summon up a reassuring grin.

Ryo stepped back. "Okay, last one," he said.

It landed right across the middle of Dee's ass, and as before, he didn't make a sound. His hands clenched at the sofa cushion however, until the pain passed. He hoped this didn't have to happen too many more times tonight. He knew he wasn't cut out to be an obedient and well-behaved slave.

"Slave, you may stand up now," Ryo informed him.

"Master, may I rub my ass?" Dee asked, straightening up with an exaggeratedly pained expression that made Diana and Serena giggle.

"Yes, you may," said Ryo magnanimously. He tried not to smile at his partner, but his eyes danced and gave him away. He had enjoyed whacking Dee's butt with the plastic sword, and, in truth, much of his desire for revenge had been assuaged. However, he intended to take advantage of this rare opportunity to be Dee's master in a public place. He wanted Dee to get the full benefit of feeling helpless and half-naked for a little bit longer. After all, he himself had been forced to spend a large portion of this evening feeling that way because of Dee's earlier ill-considered actions.

"What are you going to make him do next?" asked Diana. "'Cause if you don't have any ideas, I've got lots."

Ryo assured her that he had a couple of ideas of his own, and over the next fifteen minutes, he sent Dee over to the bar to fetch him a glass of water, made him help Todd by collecting discarded drink glasses on a tray, and finally ordered his new slave to kneel on the floor in front of him and give him a foot massage.

Dee was relieved. This kind of shit he could do. What he couldn't do was kiss the ass of anyone who taunted him. He couldn't even keep his mouth shut. But as long as all Ryo required was foot massages and the sight of him on his knees, no problem, he could handle that. As long as it didn't go on for too long, that is. What was interesting was that ever since Ryo had spanked him, his partner had suddenly gotten extra possessive of him. At one point, Diana had held out her hand for the leash and asked Ryo if she could take his 'pet' for a walk, but Ryo had refused, to Dee's great relief. He just KNEW the Sea Hag was planning to get him into trouble. Spankable trouble for sure. But fortunately for him, Ryo kept Dee's leash wrapped around his wrist, and kept him close by. Dee noticed that Ryo's eyes kept returning to him, again and again, too. He was pretty good at reading his partner by now, and he began to hope that Ryo was thinking about taking him home and continuing this Master/Slave game in bed.

A short distance away, Ted stood with his arm around Serena, whispering in her ear. "Come on, gorgeous, let's go back to your place. If Ryo doesn't wanna beat on Dee anymore, then this is just plain boring. I mean, are YOU getting off on watching those two make lovey-dovey eyes at each other while Dee rubs his 'master's' feet?"

"Maybe you're just jealous," Serena said with a smile. "However, I'm not ready to go anywhere yet. We're due for another round of fireworks any moment now."

"What? But half the guests have gone home, and the other half are pretty sloshed. What could possibly happen now?"

"That," said Serena, nodding her head toward the door. Commissioner Rose had returned from his smoke, and was heading straight for them, Diana on his arm.

Dee saw him at the same time Serena did. "Aw, shit," he muttered, his eyes glittering with fury. What exactly had happened between Rose and Ryo in that alcove? Ryo had said something about Rose trying to treat him like his own personal plaything. Whatever that slime-weasel had done, it had made Ryo mad enough to take a swing at the Commissioner. He hadn't done anything like that since Rose had kissed his mouth on a public street about two and a half years back. It had to have been something pretty serious this time, too. Maybe even more than an attempted kiss. Dee could feel himself getting hot all over. His hands stilled their movements on Ryo's foot. It was all he could do not to clench his hands into fists and rush forward in his poorly-fitting slave costume to knock his rival down.

"Who is it?" Ryo asked, seeing the look on Dee's face.

"Rat-bastard, coming this way. Ryo, get me out of here before I take that son of a bitch apart."

Ryo's fist wound quickly around the slack in Dee's leash and tightened on it right on Dee's neck. He jerked Dee's head closer and hissed, "You will do nothing of the sort! I'm the master now, and you are the slave. You promised to obey me, and you will. Do I make myself clear?"

"Er...Roger that. I mean, yes, Master." Unable to move his head, Dee glanced up at him from the corners of his eyes. He hoped Ryo would release him before Rose arrived. He could just imagine the way that asshole was going to look at him, all malicious and amused.

Unfortunately, he had striped the wrong ass when he had last had a whip in his hand, but he sure didn't need a whip to make that overgrown skunk pay for what he had done to Ryo. Now, if Ryo would just let go of his leash, or at least, not hold onto it quite so hard and so close to his collar...

end of Slave To A Gladiator, Chapter 17

Thanks for reading! More in two weeks! Chapter 18 is on my LJ now.


	18. Chapter 18

**Slave To A Gladiator **

_Chapter 18_

By Brit Columbia

_Fandom:_ Fake

_Pairing:_ Dee and Ryo

_Rating:_ Still worksafe, sorry! However, we are working our way toward the bedroom.

_Spoilers: _ to Volume 7.

_Disclaimer:_ Dee, Ryo, Commissioner Rose, Diana and Ted all belong to Sanami Matoh, who created the popular manga, FAKE. Serena the cat-eared whip-mistress, Cliff the palanquin-bearer, and Niko and his EMO slaves, Rowan and Jordan, are mine. I was not paid in any way for writing this story.

_Summary:_ Dee has promised to be Ryo's slave for the rest of the evening, but Ryo's really got his hands full with this willful and headstrong slave.

_Author's notes: _Please read and review. And, just in case I haven't mentioned it recently, I believe in a strong and equal Ryo and Dee.

_Thank you_ to the_ladyfeather and tripple_p for beta-ing this.

**Slave To A Gladiator **

chapter 18

"Ryoooo," sang Diana. "Berkie has something he wants to say to you."

Dee's body quivered and the muscles in his midsection tightened in response to his great need to jump up and start throttling. Or pummeling. Stomping would also have been extremely satisfying. Unfortunately, Ryo somehow seemed able to sense these tumultuous feelings, and responded by tightening his fist still harder on the leash. Dee felt beads of sweat break out on his brow.

There was a slight rustling beside him, and when he rolled his eyes to the left to see who it was, it was evident that his newly masterful Ryo appeared to have attracted another slave. It wasn't Jordan, the one who had helped with the whip contest; it was the other one, the one Niko was mad at for not being a very well-behaved slave. If not for the fact that he was in kill-mode, Dee might have sympathized. It was damn hard to have to be subservient and docile if every fiber of one's being rebelled.

"What have we here? My, my, my." There was a gloating smile in the Commissioner's voice, but Dee could no longer see him once he had moved around the sofa and stood so that he could face Ryo.

Ryo didn't answer, and for the first time, Dee became aware that he was not the only person who was tense. As gently as he could, he set Ryo's foot down and gave his rock-hard thigh what he hoped was a heartening squeeze.

"Berkeley!" Diana hissed into the growing silence, and elbowed the tall man at her side sharply.

"Ow! Er, ahem," the Commissioner said. "Ryo, it is my very great hope that you will do me the signal honor of hearing me out. You see before you a man awash in contrition."

At this point, he paused to try his best to adopt a penitent expression, while ensuring that he had everyone's full attention. He was certainly not averse to apologizing whenever he felt he was in violation of his own code, which, in this case, he certainly was. It was only when he found himself in contravention of someone _else's_ code that he didn't like to apologize. This had been a recurring point of contention between himself and Dee-Dee for as long as he could remember.

He was more than willing to apologize to Ryo, who, rather interestingly, appeared to have ended up in the gladiator costume previously worn by his partner. There had obviously been some kind of role reversal since he was last in the room. The Commissioner smiled with appreciation. Although he preferred Ryo in the micro-short slave tunic he had been wearing earlier, he had to admit that, as a gladiator, Ryo was probably awakening fantasies all over the hotel.

His eyes flickered over Laytner, who was on his knees before Ryo with what seemed to be Niko's other slave huddled behind him. It took every ounce of self-restraint he had not to burst out laughing at the sight. To see the loud-mouthed, arrogant Dee Laytner brought so low was not something he had expected to see this evening. The slave costume formerly worn by Ryo didn't fit him at all. Not only was it very short and very tight, but he was also wearing-- was that a collar and some sort of abbreviated leash? Well, that idiot deserved everything he had brought down upon himself. Imagine picking up a whip to chastise one's enemy and whipping one's lover instead! There was just no excuse for that kind of stupidity.

He wished that Ryo would allow Dee to turn around and face him. There was a dark, black and red part of him that felt that if he could just once, even for a split second, make eye contact with Laytner in his newly-humbled condition, he would be happy enough to ask no more of life for this calendar year. Except, perhaps, a really good stock tip or two. Another sharp prod from Diana knocked his thoughts off those two tracks.

He brought his attention back to the tight-lipped Ryo and took a deep breath. "I was rude and insensitive earlier, Ryo," he said. "I did and said some things that were highly inappropriate and out of line. Unfortunately, what's done is done, and I cannot undo them."

Dee listened angrily, breathing heavily through his nose, his lips clamped together against the torrent of angry and sarcastic words that were threatening to fly out of him. That damn rat-bastard with his oily apologies and his fake regrets! He wasn't sorry at all. But he was going to be, if Dee got even the faintest shadow of an opportunity. But how? He could feel the strength with which Ryo held his leash. If he tried to jump up now, he would pull Ryo with him, and he wouldn't get even two steps toward Rose before Ryo probably took him down with one of those Karate throws he did so well. Dee was so frustrated he felt like he was going to explode.

Now wait a second...what was Niko's little slave doing? Something interesting was happening at the nape of his neck. It seemed that somebody's nimble fingers had crept up his back and were now slowly, subtly, working loose the buckle of the collar around his neck. A glimmering of hope stirred within Dee. Meanwhile, Rose continued his little speech, going on about the respect he had for Ryo and how he hoped bygones could be bygones, yada, yada, yada, while Dee held his breath.

Ryo, whose attention had been on the Commissioner along with everyone else's, suddenly, to his astonishment, found himself holding an empty collar and leash as Dee surged to his feet and lunged at the Commissioner. Fast though he was, Diana was faster. She intercepted him just before he reached his target and successfully used his momentum against him to toss him against the opposite sofa, which, fortunately, was unoccupied. He crashed into it with such force that it tipped over backward, taking him with it, and spilling him onto the hard marble floor.

There was a stunned silence for a moment following this sudden and unanticipated blur of physical violence, and then Serena let out a cheer. "FBI! FBI!" she cried, and every woman in the room broke into applause for Diana, who grinned and performed a slight curtsey.

"Thank you, Dee-Dee," said the Commissioner mildly, removing his glasses and polishing them with a fold of his cape. "Laytner, you're fired."

"No, he's not," said Diana.

"I _beg_ your pardon?" Rose attempted to skewer her with an autocratic stare.

She rose to the challenge and locked eyes with him, putting all the force of her personality into it. For a moment, it appeared as though she were going to say something else, but then the moment passed and she tossed her head. "Berkie," she warned in that little-girl voice she often used with him, "don't you dare fire anyone at my party! Especially after you've been _drinking_, you bad boy."

"Very well, I'll fire him tomorrow morning."

"If you do, you'll have to deal with Ryo," she said guardedly, and the Commissioner's gaze automatically went to where Ryo stood regarding him with the coldest eyes he had ever seen. Ryo, in a flushed and angry state, he had some experience with, but this icy, controlled fury was something entirely new. It struck him like a physical blow; he felt a small, odd pang just above his heart.

While the two men stared at each other in silence, Dee clambered onto his knees behind the overturned couch and opened his mouth to speak. He got as far as "Hey, asshol--" before Ted seized him in an NYPD-approved hold and quickly clapped a lion paw over the lower half of his face. Muffled swearing and scuffling ensued and they disappeared back behind the toppled sofa.

"Sir," said Ryo quietly, "as I'm sure you can imagine, I have a great deal to say to you about your behavior toward me, not only tonight, but over the years I've known you. If you feel you have the right to fire Dee for his conduct while expecting to be forgiven for your own, then I consider that to be the height of hypocrisy."

"Detective MacLean, in case it escaped your attention, your partner just attacked me! And not for the first time, either. I believe I am well within my rights to fire him, if not bring him up on charges--"

Ryo interrupted him. "Ah, charges!" he said. "That would be the operative word, wouldn't it? Because if you'll recall, you've done some attacking of your own this evening."

The Commissioner hesitated, speechless. Was Ryo actually _threatening_ him?

A loud yell from Ted distracted everyone. "Ow! You bastard, that fucking hurts!" He popped up from behind the fallen sofa and tried to clamber over the front of it, but Dee yanked him back by his lion-tail.

"Oh, Ryo, sweetie," said Diana. "I think you'd better go take charge of your slave before he does any damage to Ted. I did my best not to hurt him last time, but if he goes after Berkie again..." She shrugged casually, but her meaning was clear.

Ryo nodded grimly, and strode around the back of the sofa to where Dee was straddling a prone and groaning Ted, while twisting his arm.

"You gonna jam me up again, Teddy-boy? Huh?" demanded Dee.

"Dee, let him go and get off him right now!"

Dee looked up and said "Uh-oh," at the sight of Ryo's wrathful expression. He reluctantly got to his feet, his eyes immediately darting about in search of the Commissioner, who seemed to be having an urgent tete-a-tete with Diana some short distance away.

"Don't even think about it," warned Ryo. "Ted, are you all right?"

"No, not really, but don't worry about me.... I've got private insurance on top of Blue Cross," groaned Ted.

"He's okay," said Dee dismissively. "If I'd really wanted to hurt him, he'd be too busy screaming to think about cracking jokes."

"Dee, do you realize that the Commissioner wants to fire you?"

"What? I never even got a shot in! If I'm gonna get fired, I might as well go and break both his arms so I've got something to show for it."

He spoke in tones of bravado, but Ryo thought he looked a little worried. However, he didn't feel that he could trust that Dee's desire to remain employed by the NYPD would trump his almost primal desire to assault Rose. He decided the best thing would be to get Dee back into that collar and leash again as soon as possible, before anyone's limbs got broken. He had no idea how Dee had gotten free, but he wasn't going to let it happen again.

Serena noticed Ryo casting about for something, and she correctly guessed what it was. "If you're looking for the collar and leash," she said, "I think you'll find it over there."

His eyes followed her pointing finger to where Rowan peeked out from behind a pillar. "Ah-ha," he said softly, and then asked Serena, "What's that one's name again?"

"Rowan," she said. "Niko's been having a little trouble with that particular slave. Jordan is much better-behaved."

"Rowan," called Ryo kindly. "Would you mind coming back over here with that collar?"

Rowan's head shook rapidly and mutinously.

"Ryo." Serena met his eyes patiently. "Politeness and a soft voice won't be terribly effective in this situation. Rowan will only obey if you speak like a master."

"I understand," said Ryo and looked at the recalcitrant slave with the same hard eyes he had used on Dee. "Rowan!" he barked. "Get your butt over here right NOW!"

Several heads turned and the vehement conversation between Diana and the Commissioner faltered.

Rowan slunk over to Ryo, eyes cast down.

"Kneel," ordered Ryo, and watched in satisfaction as the slave immediately dropped to the floor, both hands clutching the leash. "You've created a great deal of trouble this evening, Rowan. In fact, you've been extremely disobedient. Why did you remove this collar from my slave?"

"My collar," mumbled Rowan.

"Not right now, it isn't. Your master told me that you would have to earn back your collar and leash because your behavior has been very bad and-- and-- un-slave-like," said Ryo, who was groping for the kind of words that a master might use. "He gave it to me for _my_ use for the next twenty-four hours."

Rowan's lower lip protruded and began to quiver.

"Take it off immediately and put it in my hand," Ryo demanded, "or you can be sure your master will hear about your latest, um, piece of naughtiness."

Rowan sniffled pitifully and complied, shoulders hunched in dejection.

"Now, go and stand in that corner and wait for your master to return," said Ryo, and quickly turned away to find and secure Dee.

He was not a moment too soon. Dee was stalking purposefully toward the Commissioner like a dominant buck who had spotted another rack of antlers in his territory. Diana was in the process of inserting herself between the two men, and Ryo, frankly, feared for Dee.

In four quick strides, he caught up to his partner and spun him around.

"Ryo," growled Dee warningly.

"Master," corrected Ryo, and, seizing the fabric of the slave costume, he used his right foot to sweep Dee's legs out from under him, producing a very satisfying yell of surprise from the larger man. He kept hold of Dee's sleeve to control his descent somewhat, and then brought his knee down firmly on Dee's hip to hold him in place, rendering him immobile. He still had the collar and leash in his left hand, but he made no move to fasten it in place just yet.

"Slave," he said, "were you, by any chance, thinking of fighting me?"

"Um, no, Master," said Dee cautiously.

"That's good because _you gave me your word_ that you would obey me for the rest of the evening, and you haven't exactly been doing that, have you?"

"Well... not really, Master. I'm sorry." Dee, hyper-conscious of the presence of the Commissioner just a few feet away, was grateful that he couldn't see Rose's face, because if he detected a smirk there, he was going to have to kill somebody.

"We'll soon find out how sorry you are," said Ryo. "I want you to understand something. If there's any more trouble from you at this party, I'll be moving into the CI room tomorrow and booking my vacation with Aunt Elena by the end of the day. Is that quite clear?"

Dee sighed in defeat. "Yes, Master."

Satisfied, Ryo let go of Dee's sleeve and used both hands to buckle the collar around his partner's neck. He was finding this whole master/slave-business quite wearing. Both Dee and Rowan were behaving like overgrown children. Obviously that spanking had not had any kind of significant or lasting effect on Dee. He really wanted to leave, but he suspected that Diana had been trying to talk the Commissioner out of his decision to fire Dee, and he felt that he couldn't go home until that issue had been resolved.

Before he took his knee off Dee, he decided to take a precaution that would hopefully head off further trouble with the Commissioner. "Slave," he said, "we are about to stand up. I order you to keep your head bowed and your eyes on the floor. If you raise your eyes and look at anybody, it will constitute disobedience, and you will have to endure some very embarrassing consequences. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master," said Dee in a subdued voice.

"Good." Keeping tight hold of the leash, Ryo rose to his feet and directed his slave to do the same. He saw that the Commissioner and Diana were both regarding him with admiration. Ryo didn't like the way that Rose was looking at Dee, however. If Dee disobeyed him by looking up and happened to catch sight of the delighted derision in the other man's eyes, it might be next to impossible to control him.

"Nice take-down, Ryo," said Diana approvingly.

"NYPD! NYPD!" yelled Ted, pumping his fist in the air. This brought a smattering of applause, but it seemed as though most of the NYPD guests had gone home.

"Berkie, maybe this is a good time for you to tell Ryo what you've decided." Diana gave him a gentle nudge.

"Ah, yes, Dee-Dee. Indeed, you're right." The Commissioner took a step toward Ryo, looking rather misty-eyed. "Ryo, my dear," he said, "I want you to know that I value my association with you every bit as much as you hope. I--I had no idea you felt the way you do about me. You're always hiding your true feelings from me, and I don't know why. I hope you realize that I was only joking when I threatened to fire your partner."

"What.... Sir?" Ryo was both confused and alarmed by the Commissioner's words. What was that about hiding his true feelings? Also, had he heard right? Had the Commissioner just addressed him as 'my dear' in a public place?

"See, Ryo?" said Diana encouragingly. "It was all just a silly Halloween joke. Kind of like a trick instead of a treat, you know what I mean?"

"Um, yes, um, I think so." Ryo frowned in confusion and looked from her to the Commissioner. "So, you're definitely not going to fire Dee?"

"Certainly not. I have no wish to cause you any more distress than I already have." The Commissioner gazed at him benevolently, his expression almost, well... tender. Ryo began to suspect that Diana may have told Rose a couple of ego-stroking things that could conceivably bring difficulties for him at a later date.

"So, Ryo, will you shake my hand to let me know that you forgive me and that I am no longer occupying a place of shameful distinction in your bad books?"

For the moment, Ryo withheld his hand. "You're not going to fire Dee next week or next month or anytime in the near or far future?"

Rose shook his head. "Not unless he does something serious like shooting the mayor," he said with a smile. "And perhaps, not even then. Deal?"

"Deal," said Ryo firmly, feeling the warmth of Rose's large, masculine hand as it clasped his own. Just as Niko had done earlier, the Commissioner held on a little too long, while gazing silently at Ryo with a meaningful look in his eyes. He seemed to be trying to communicate something without words, something new. Ryo had no idea what that was, but it was making him quite uncomfortable. He had to talk to Diana as soon as possible. When the extended handshake was interrupted by the sudden ringing of Rose's cell phone, Ryo was unable to stop a little sigh of relief from escaping him.

"Excuse me." The Commissioner reluctantly let go of Ryo's hand in order to check his call display. "Ah," he said as he recognized the name he saw there. "I was wondering where he had gotten to." He turned away, saying, "Hello, Cliff? Are you still in the hotel?"

"What did you tell him?" Ryo hissed at Diana.

"Never mind. I just embroidered the truth a little. At least, _I _think it's the truth. Anyway, the main point is that he's not going to fire Dee now. You can thank me by buying me lunch next time I'm in town."

"Sure I'll buy you lunch, Diana. But I really need to know what you--"

"Diana!" said Niko in his booming voice, as he strode toward them. "I seem to be missing a slave. Have you seen my Rowan?"

"Why yes, Niko, darling. Look over there in that corner and you will see a sniffling and repentant little person who was absolutely crushed by the horrible experience of being ignored by you."

"Oh dear," said Niko, his eyes concerned. "Rowan does tend to be emotional. But SO full of mischief. I think the trouble is that I've gone too easy on..."

"Yes?" prompted Ted who was suddenly standing beside Diana, listening with evidence of great interest. "Him? Her? What? I'm dying to know."

"What do you mean?" demanded Niko, looking offended on Rowan's behalf. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Yeah, Ted." There was amusement in Serena's tone of voice. "What's the matter with you?"

"Ted always was dense that way." Diana grinned and smacked his shoulder.

"Oh, come on! " Ted's eyes went from one woman to the other. "Don't pretend that you can actually tell which sex those two slaves are. No one could!"

"Detective, you are an extremely rude man!" declared Niko, while patting a crestfallen Jordan comfortingly. "There, there, Jordan. Don't listen to this ignoramus."

"But, what's wrong with androgyny?" asked Ted helplessly. "Did I say it was a bad thing? I just want to know what sex they are, that's all."

"Ted, Ted, Ted." Serena sighed. "We'll forgive you because you're a detective and of course it's your job to ask nosy, prying, and occasionally hurtful questions. But some questions are definitely not okay in a social setting. Didn't your mom ever teach you that?"

"Yeah," said Diana. "Would you ask someone how much money they make? Would you ask someone you didn't know well how much they weighed or who they voted for?"

Ted spluttered in his own defense, but Diana wasn't really listening. The fact was that she had one uneasy ear on the illuminating conversation that Berkeley seemed to be having with Cliff. Uh-oh. She knew what that sharp look in Berkeley's eyes meant. He was probably putting two and two together.

"Excuse me, Diana," said Ryo, "but it's getting late and Dee and I have to go to work tomorrow morning. We just wanted to thank you for a wonderful party and say good-night."

"What? You're leaving?" asked Serena. "But what about Dee's latest disobedience?"

"Yeah," murmured a couple of other female guests who had been sticking fairly close in case Dee got bent over a sofa again.

"Aren't you going to... whip him?" one of them asked hopefully.

"No, I'm not," said Ryo firmly. "I've already demonstrated that I am not to be trusted with a whip."

"Maybe Serena could whip him for you?" suggested the nearest woman, a middle-aged blond who was dressed like a pop star. She licked her lips and glanced at Dee.

Dee dared to raise his eyes and look appealingly at Ryo. _Please, no,_ his mute face seemed to be saying.

Ryo looked back at him while he pretended to consider it. "Hmm," he said thoughtfully. "Slave, I bet Serena could teach you how to behave in a more obedient and submissive way than you have so far tonight. And unlike me, she could use that whip to give you some wonderfully educational pain without permanently damaging you."

"Oh yes," said the blond breathlessly. "Educational, that's what it would be! He still hasn't learned his lesson, has he?"

"No, he hasn't," giggled her companion. "He's been so baaaaad."

"Well?" Ryo asked Dee. "Should I ask Serena to punish you?"

"No, Master!" Dee said quickly. "Your slave would much prefer it if you would punish him yourself."

"Keep your eyes downcast, Slave," Ryo reminded him sternly.

"Perhaps you could whip him again with your sword," suggested the blond hastily.

"No, your leather sword-belt," said the other woman. Then she looked at her friend and they both tittered excitedly.

"What's this?" asked the Commissioner, who had snapped his phone closed and stepped forward. "What's this talk of whipping? And did I hear you say you were leaving?"

"No, no, we hope he's not," said the blond pop star. "He's just deciding how best to beat his slave."

"I voted that he should use his sword belt," added the other woman.

"But we'd really like to see him get whipped," added the blond, glancing hopefully at Ryo once more.

"He kept pretty quiet when you whacked him with the sword," said Serena, playing along with Ryo. "I bet _I_ could get some noise out of this tough guy."

"Oooh!" exclaimed the blond woman, looking around her for support. "Wouldn't that be exciting?"

"Why, yes," murmured the Commissioner, a slow smile spreading across his face. "It certainly would be."

End of Chapter 18

Author's notes: I'm trying to post chapter 19 on my livejournal homepage, but LJ is not cooperating, as of Saturday. Nov. 28, 2009. I'll try again at midnight in case they've resolved the glitch by then. If you can't see it, try again in 24 hours.


	19. Chapter 19

**Slave To A Gladiator**

**Chapter 19**

_By Brit Columbia_

Fandom: Fake

Pairing: Dee and Ryo

Rating: Still worksafe. Sorry! There's a kiss, though.

Spoilers: to Volume 7.

Disclaimer: Dee, Ryo, Commissioner Rose, Diana and Ted all belong to Sanami Matoh, who created the popular manga, FAKE. But Serena, Cliff, Annette, Mrs. Hinkle, Rowan, Officer Herndt, Lara Shirner, Jordan and Niko are mine. I was not paid in any way for writing this story.

Summary: The party gets a little crazier and Dee and Ryo finally go home.

Author's notes: Please read and review. I'll post again in two weeks.

Thank you to the_ladyfeather and shelley6441 for being such kind, patient and thorough betas.

**Slave To A Gladiator **

Chapter 19

_"He kept pretty quiet when you whacked him with the sword," said Serena, playing along with Ryo. "I bet _**I **_could get some noise out of this tough guy."_

_"Oooh!" exclaimed the blond woman, looking around her for support. "Wouldn't that be exciting?"_

_"Why, yes," murmured the Commissioner, a slow smile spreading across his face. "It certainly would be."_

Ryo could feel Dee trembling at his side. He knew his partner well enough to understand that it was not from fear, but more from trying to prevent himself from attacking the Commissioner or saying something challenging to him. He felt that forcing Dee to endure a humiliating spanking under the laughing eyes of the Commissioner would be an unforgivable act, a betrayal of a lover's trust. He just could not bring himself to do that to Dee, no matter how angry he was with him.

"Well, I'm sorry, but that's not going to happen," said Ryo, ignoring the disappointed expressions on the faces around him. "I'd much rather give him his punishment in private." He looked directly at the Commissioner as he said these last words, hoping that the man would get the message. He and Dee were a couple, and although the Commissioner had in fact been one of the first to realize that several months back in the spring, he still persisted in acting like he believed Ryo and Dee were involved in a temporary or casual kind of relationship.

The Commissioner met his eyes and once more seemed to be trying to communicate a message of his own. "What a pity," he murmured, "but of course, it's your decision." He smiled at Ryo. "I wish you a satisfying outcome to this little power play of yours, Ryo. I'll be very interested to see if your partner's behavior is better in the weeks ahead."

"I hope so, sir. Now, if you'll excuse us--"

"A moment, Ryo. If I may?" Before Ryo had any idea what the Commissioner was going to do, the man had reached out a hand and used it to raise Dee's chin. Helpless, enraged green eyes met cool, amused blue ones.

"Dee," warned Ryo, holding tight to his partner's collar, as Dee smacked the Commissioner's hand away from his face.

Dee didn't glance at him, as his eyes were still locked with the Commissioner's. His lip lifted in a snarl and his face slowly flushed pink. He didn't say a word, however, and Ryo was proud of him.

Rose chuckled, a low, mocking sound. "Laytner, please forgive me for saying so, but a slave collar becomes you very well."

"Ryo, may I speak?" Dee's eyes darted toward Ryo, who raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Ryo noticed that Dee had failed to address him as 'Master', but that was all right with him. He didn't actually want to play this game at all in the presence of Rose. "All right, but I'm trusting you to speak civilly." He tried to ignore the way the corner of the Commissioner's mouth twisted into a superior little smile.

"Thank you." Dee returned his attention to the Commissioner. "Sir, you know what else becomes me?"

"I await this little revelation raptly, _Slave_."

"Going home with _him_, that's what." Dee tipped his head in Ryo's direction, smirking. "If he wants to beat my sexy ass, he can go right ahead, 'cause I can totally take it. He's probably gonna do it in the bedroom, if you get my drift. And that's gonna be-_come_ me better than anything." The smirk became a grin that crept slowly across his face, while the superior smile faded from the Commissioner's.

Serena smiled at Ted, who rolled his eyes and pretended to gag. Ryo blushed, and wondered how, after the long list of embarrassing things that had happened to him at this party, his cheeks were even still capable of getting warm. He _had_ to get out of there. He hoped he wouldn't have to work with any of these people in the near future. The two unknown women were looking from him to Dee enviously.

"All right, that's enough. We're leaving now." Ryo jerked on Dee's leash and took a couple of steps toward the door. "Thanks for the party, Diana. Nice to meet you Serena and Niko. Come on, Dee."

As they exited the coat check area with their coats slung over their arms, they passed Boris, Diana's admirer, who grinned at them nastily. "Ha, I cannot believe I thought that _you_ two could actually be competition for the lovely Diana," he said. "I wish you both a 'fag-ulous' evening, and good riddance, of course." He gave them a mock bow, and turned away contemptuously.

Dee glanced sideways at Ryo's grim profile as they proceeded toward the door. "Psst, Master," he said. "Could I--"

"No," said Ryo. "No more violence. We're going home."

"No violence, I promise. Just some fun. Childish fun, you know? You'll laugh, I guarantee it."

Ryo hesitated, a muscle in his jaw bunching. It was evident that he was feeling stung by Agent Brasov's casual contempt.

"It'll only take a moment," Dee added. "Less than thirty seconds." He badly wanted to get that asshole back for his nasty words, and also, he had to be honest with himself, for the business of Boris kicking that coffee table into his escape path earlier.

To his surprise, Ryo suddenly assented. "Okay," he said, letting go of the leash. "Thirty seconds."

Dee flashed him a grateful grin and handed him his coat. Then he turned and rapidly tiptoed back toward the unsuspecting Agent Brasov.

Meanwhile at the far side of the room, Diana was pretending to listen to Serena counseling Niko on the best way to manage troublesome slaves. In actual fact, however, she was only trying to delay the inevitable moment when Berkeley would ask her about what was really going on at Cliff's little Soho sporting goods store.

Just at the moment when Berkeley sternly took her arm and murmured her name, a furious bellow from the center of the room drew everyone's attention. Agent Brasov, who had come to the party dressed as a soccer player, could be seen stumbling around with his Manchester United jersey covering his head and temporarily trapping his arms. He was struggling and cursing, unable to see anything or get his arms free, since a grinning Dee was holding the jersey twisted in place over his head. When Dee looked up from his work and saw that he had an audience, his grin became positively diabolical. In a flash, he had taken hold of the waistband of Agent Brasov's shorts, and yanked them down to the man's knees, quite effectively hobbling him. Another muffled roar from the unfortunate Boris accompanied this action. From nipples to calves, he was practically naked, although the final frontier of his masculine modesty was protected by a rather skimpy pair of red briefs.

"Oh my goodness!" exclaimed the blond woman, and clutched her friend for support at the sight of so much magnificent male flesh and muscle exposed to the eyes of everyone in the room. For Boris was indeed a fine specimen, strong and well-built, with a mat of brown fur covering his athletic chest.

"Oh no, Dee, stop that!" protested Diana weakly, but she was too far away to do anything, nor did it seem like she wanted to go running over there to tackle Dee again.

At that moment, with a jerk and a heave, Boris managed to free his head from the neck of his jersey, although his arms were still trapped inside it, and Dee was still holding it in place. His expression reflected his disbelief and outrage at the towering insult to his dignity being visited upon him.

Dee abruptly moved behind him and held him around the neck in a headlock. "Look at all the pretty ladies, Boris," he sneered, just before taking a firm hold of the back of the red briefs and yanking them up into what must have been a singularly painful wedgie.

Boris's eyes bugged out and his mouth opened to release another angry yell, but this time what came out was more of a squeak.

Dee saluted Diana and waved his leash at the other guests before running to rejoin his apparently unconcerned master who, had been leaning comfortably against the doorjamb the whole time.

"Dee, you dog," said Ted with admiration, secretly feeling deeply relieved that Dee hadn't done that to _him_ when he'd had the chance earlier.

"Aw, Boris, what the hell?" Diana tried to sound sympathetic, but the fact that she wanted to double over with laughter was making that difficult.

"Who on earth is that?" asked the Commissioner. "Diana, you do know some odd people."

"And you don't?" Diana rolled her eyes at him and sent the pop star and her friend to assist Boris.

Niko pushed forward into her line of vision. "Diana, I believe that my slaves and I might follow the example of Detectives MacLean and Laytner and be on our way. But before I go, allow me to congratulate you on the fascinating Roman sub-theme of your Halloween party. In addition to your own lovely portrayal of Diana the huntress, you've had Julius Caesar, gladiators, slaves and a lion. This has been a _most_ entertaining evening."

"Yeah, that's true, isn't it?" remarked Diana, who seized the opportunity to latch onto his arm and edge away from Berkeley. "I didn't really plan a Roman sub-theme, though. It just worked out that way." As she passed Ted, she punched him playfully. "And what kind of lion are you, anyway? Lions are supposed to win fights with unarmed Christian slaves, but in this case, we all saw the slave beating up the lion."

"Hey, gimme a break here," protested Ted. "That was a pretty tough slave. But if you toss some soft, slow Christians into the coliseum, I promise to maul 'em good."

&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&

Dee walked up to Ryo, grinning in triumph. "Well?" he asked, handing the end of his leash to Ryo. "Did I do good?"

Ryo tried not to smile. "I think the wedgie may have been overkill. Wasn't Diana trying to make him jealous? It's possible that you bruised the very parts she's interested in."

Dee shrugged. "Not our problem. Maybe someone can find him an ice-pack." He reached for his coat, which was draped over Ryo's arm. "Hey, do you mind if I put this on? I think I ripped a few more stitches. I'm getting kind of chilly."

Ryo's eyes took in the somewhat shredded state of Dee's slave tunic. Grappling with Ted and then Agent Brasov had certainly taken a toll on the too-tight costume. The stitches had come out all down one side-seam, and the skirt of the garment had become partially detached at the front. Ryo could almost see the fly of Dee's briefs. Yes, it would be better to cover him up.

"Yeah, go ahead and put it on," Ryo murmured, and he stepped closer to help Dee into his coat.

"Hello Dee! Hi Ryo," said a breathless female voice, and the two men looked around.

"Annette," said Dee. "Um, nice costume. Who or what are you supposed to be?" Annette Hinkle worked in the records department of the NYPD and had once gone on a couple of dates with Drake. She was a passionate born-again Christian with very strong views about pre-marital sex, and Dee thought that Drake was an idiot for ever going down that road. But all Drake's women tended to be on the kooky or difficult side.

"Mary Magdalene," she replied, preening slightly. She had a very impressive bust that was obviously receiving wonderbra-type support that wouldn't have existed in the days of Jesus. "Do you like it?"

Dee tore his eyes away with difficulty. "Ah, well, 'like' is too mild a word," he said with a nervous sideways glance at Ryo, but to his relief,Ryo wasn't looking at Annette. There was a pair of uniformed police officers walking up the stairs toward them. They were accompanied by a large, florid woman wearing a huge, gold cross.

"Annette," Ryo said, "isn't that your mom?"

"Yeah, and those cops are here to make an arrest. It's so exciting! You guys should stick around."

"Uh, no, thanks," said Dee, sensing the approach of another delay. Damn it, he just wanted to get home with Ryo and take advantage of the fact that Bikky was gone overnight. "We make arrests all the time, so it's not that exciting for us. We've kind of got to go, anyway."

"No sir," said one of the two uniformed police officers. "We may need you to stay a while and give us a statement. You two were just at that party, correct?"

"Yes, we were, Officer," Ryo said, his eyes sharpening with interest. "I'm Detective Randy MacLean and this is Detective Dee Laytner. We're 27th."

Unaccountably, both uniforms bristled. "Oh shit, it's YOU two again," one of them said.

"Hey, buddy, have we met?" Dee squared up to the man.

"No, but you guys are always in the fucking news, making high profile busts. You'd better not be planning to muscle in on this one."

"Yes, this one is ours," said his partner.

"Excuse me, Officer Herndt, but don't we have more important things to do?" demanded the large woman. "Like go in there and catch a kidnapper, for example?"

"Do you still want us to stay and give statements?" asked Ryo.

"Nope, I think we got enough witnesses in there," said Officer Herndt, scanning the room. "If we need anything more from you, we'll contact you at your precinct."

Annette's mother pushed past them and strode into the room crying, "Rowan! Praise Lord Jesus! We're here to save you!"

Rowan's expression was exactly like that of a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming Mac truck, unable to move as the woman advanced. When she clasped the small slave to her heaving bosom, Rowan finally reacted, letting out a smothered squeak of alarm.

Officer Herndt's companion gave Ryo and Dee a pointed look. "Well, weren't you on your way out?" he asked rudely.

"They were leaving, anyway," said Annette stoutly to Officer Herndt's companion, before flashing an apologetic look at Dee. "I'll tell you all about it tomorrow," she added under her breath before following the two officers into the room.

"We're leaving, right?" Dee asked Ryo a little nervously. He could see that his partner seemed to be hesitating, perhaps out of curiosity, or maybe out of a desire not to be ordered around by these two uptight uniforms.

"Dee, are you getting the impression that the police consider Rowan to be a kidnap victim?"

"Yeah, but it ain't our business tonight. Besides it'll be all over the grapevine tomorrow. We'll get the scoop first thing, I'm sure."

Ryo didn't answer, so Dee put the handle of his leash in Ryo's hand and started walking away in an attempt to tow Ryo with him.

Ryo responded by giving the leash a sharp yank. "Wait another minute, Slave," he said firmly. Dee sighed.

"Officers," exclaimed Mrs. Hinkle, "there you see the foul kidnapper of our beloved and formerly innocent Rowan." She pointed an imperious finger directly at Niko, whose mouth dropped open in shock. "Please arrest him forthwith."

"Kidnapper?" Niko exclaimed. "Me? There must be some mistake!"

"Oh, no. No mistake," said Mrs. Hinkle. "We've had a private detective watching you for several days, even before you sent the ransom note."

"Ransom note?" Niko echoed, looking utterly confused. "What are you talking about?"

Diana placed a hand on Berkeley's arm. "Sweetie, this is exactly what I was afraid of. You're sure Niko paid for the ballroom?"

"Don't worry, my dear." He patted her hand reassuringly. "We went to the front desk and paid together, I for the curtain and he for this room. You won't find yourself out of pocket on anything."

"Thanks, Berkie," she breathed, gazing up at him. "I knew I could count on you."

"You can always count on me, Dee-Dee. What do you think is going to happen to poor Niko?"

"Well, not too much unless the press show up," she said unsympathetically. "They might hold him overnight, but I don't think they have enough evidence to proceed. That's what I told Mrs. Hinkle, but she insisted on coming to 'rescue' Rowan with officers present."

Berkeley's eyes narrowed at the sight of the two police officers questioning Niko. "Is that why it has become an NYPD matter rather than an FBI matter?"

"Bingo. If someone is going to end up with egg on their face over this, it sure isn't going to be me. Besides I owe that royal bitch Captain Viv Tackley at the 4th a little grief."

The Commissioner frowned disapprovingly at her. "Dee-Dee, I shall be most displeased if this evasion of responsibility by the FBI leads to bad press and a lawsuit for the NYPD."

"Aw, Berkie, and you with the silver tongue! _I'm_ not worried about that at all. I have complete faith in you." She beamed adoringly up at him, and he shook his head in reluctant admiration at her audacity.

&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^

The clock read 9:15 when Dee and Ryo finally entered Ryo's apartment and took off their coats. Ryo frowned slightly as he looked at the time. Even though they could get up a little later than usual tomorrow due to Bikky being away overnight, they still had to get up at six. He gazed appreciatively at the way the muscles rippled in Dee's mostly exposed back as he hung up his coat on the row of hooks next to the door, and revised their wake-up time to a possible six-thirty.

Dee turned around and regarded him almost shyly. "So? I take it I'm still a slave?"

"Yes, you are," Ryo said. "Until you fall asleep tonight."

"Uhhh...Okay, then. What, um, do you want to do with your slave?" Dee was looking at him with an eagerness he was trying not to let show, and Ryo wanted to laugh. Dee was obviously thinking 'sex slave' thoughts, but he was about to get a big surprise.

"Hmmm...." Ryo tried his best to look thoughtful as he ran a finger down one of Dee's biceps. "I have one or two ideas."

"Yeah?" Dee said softly and stepped closer to him. "Like what?" He put his hand on Ryo's waist and caressed him gently.

Ryo moved into the touch, and reached up to stroke the side of Dee's face. He tried not to get distracted by how handsome his partner was. He knew he shouldn't underestimate Dee's powers of seduction, either.

"Put your hands behind your back, Slave," he whispered, and waited for Dee to comply.

Dee did as he was told, although not without a quiet 'Aw" of disappointment, but Ryo immediately rewarded him by kissing him. Dee's mouth opened readily against his, and after a moment, he felt the tip of Dee's tongue tapping his suggestively. _Come and get me_ it seemed to say.

Ryo licked briefly at Dee's open mouth before pulling back. If he let the kiss go on, things might start happening a little more quickly than he wanted. Kissing Dee was very exciting-- always had been. He knew it would get him hard, and he didn't want to be hard just yet.

"Bab-- I mean, Master?" Dee's eyes were dark with desire. His hands were still behind his back and there was a noticeable bulge where the torn skirt of his costume revealed his underwear. "Would you like your slave to please you with his body?"

Ryo took a step backwards and looked at Dee mischievously. "Actually, I'd prefer my slave to please me by cleaning up the kitchen."

"What?"

Ryo found the utterly stunned expression on Dee's face quite gratifying. "That includes sweeping and mopping," he said. "And come to think of it, I believe I'd like to have the living room dusted as well."

"Ryo-- what the fuck?" Dee was staring at him in dismay. "I thought we were gonna--"

"I know what you thought. But I'm really still too pissed off at you." Ryo folded his arms across his chest. "Every time I think about you manipulating me into that thong and then asking JJ to dump punch all over my jeans, I get so mad I can hardly see straight."

"But, Ryo, let me--"

"And then when I think of what happened with Rose when I _thought_ you cared enough to watch my back, I get so mad that I just want to throw you out of here."

Dee said nothing, just looked at him unhappily.

"Furthermore, when I think about how much my ass still hurts from those two whipcracks you gave me, and how hard it's going to be for me to sit in my chair and get any paperwork done tomorrow, I find myself thinking about... well, sharing the pain. But," he added, "I don't think that would succeed in teaching you a lesson at all. And I don't actually want you to feel really mindblowing pain like I did earlier. There's got to be a better way for me to make you understand how upset I am."

Dee's expression was anxious. "Ryo, I do understand. And I feel like shit. Honestly. I've done some stupid things in my life, but tonight, I think I had all the brain power of a zucchini. I regret everything, every stupid thing I did and didn't do. And I'll do anything, _anything_, if it'll make you forgive me."

Ryo pointed at the kitchen. "Start cleaning, then. I'm going to go and watch TV and try to get myself into a more forgiving state of mind."

"Can I change my clothes?"

"No." Ryo walked into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of juice before disappearing into the living room without a backward look.

Dee sighed and started cleaning. First he put away all the clean dishes in the dish rack, then he washed the few dirty plates and cups that were sitting in the sink. He tried not to think about exactly what that Rat Bastard Berkeley Rose might have done to Ryo back at the party, because when such thoughts crossed his mind, his hands tightened too hard on the plates and cups and he was pretty sure he wouldn't get back into Ryo's good graces by breaking his crockery. He forced himself to focus on the task at hand, pouring his energy into wiping the counters and the table, and even scrubbing down the cabinets. He was quite an efficient and fast cleaner when he wanted to be; his years spent living in the communal environment of the Saint Julian's orphanage had not been without regular KP duty.

Finally, after sweeping and mopping the kitchen floor, he stuck his head into the living room. "Still mad at me?" he asked the man on the sofa.

"Yes," said Ryo. "Dust."

"Sure thing," said Dee and went to get Ryo's feather duster. He began dusting the baseboards and the window sills, while trying not to be too obvious about watching Ryo. Ryo was flipping from channel to channel, unable to settle on anything in particular. He stayed on a news channel for a few minutes, and right in the middle of a boring report about how a guy had grown a pumpkin hydroponically in his apartment for Halloween, the story was interrupted by breaking news.

"We interrupt this story with breaking news of the resolution of a kidnap situation at the New York Palace Hotel. It appears that police are taking well-known businessman Niko Kominos in for questioning regarding the alleged kidnapping of one Rowan Hinkle several weeks ago. Lara Shirner is on the scene."

"Thanks, Lewis." Lara Shirner stood with a microphone in her hand in the courtyard of the New York Palace Hotel. "They're just bringing him out now. Mr. Kominos! Do you have any comments? Did you indeed kidnap Rowan Hinkle?"

Dee gave up all pretense of dusting and came to stand next to the sofa, his eyes riveted to the TV.

Niko, flanked by the two officers from the 4th, immediately responded. "I most certainly did not! This is an outrage. The police have not done their homework in this case and the facts will bear me out. Who the hell called the press, anyway?"

"Come on sir," said Officer Herndt. "The cruiser's right over here."

"Officer," cried Lara. "Are you willing to make a statement?"

"Absolutely not. This is an ongoing police investigation. We just want to question Mr. Kominos, that's all." Officer Herndt and his partner turned away, taking Niko with them.

The camera showed Annette and her mother next exiting the hotel with Rowan sobbing and struggling between them.

"Mrs. Hinkle," said Lara. "Thank you so much for your call earlier. Our viewers are very interested in this kidnapping story. Can you tell us what happened in there?"

"Well, yes, I can tell you a little bit, but not too much, as the Police Commissioner has advised me that it was a mistake to call the press," said Mrs. Hinkle. The camera zoomed out a little, and Dee and Ryo caught sight of a figure in a familiar lion suit edging closer. Annette stuck her ample chest out and looked flirtatiously at the camera, while Rowan continued sobbing uncontrollably.

Lara indicated Rowan and said to Mrs. Hinkle, "It looks as though the kidnapping was quite an ordeal. How is your s-- er, your daught-- er..." Lara trailed away, frowning.

"It is thanks to the grace of God Almighty that my SON Rowan is just fine," boomed Mrs. Hinkle, and behind her, the lion said "Ah-HAH!" in tones of triumph. He quickly clapped a paw over his mouth however, and then it looked as though someone reached out and dragged him out of the view of the camera.

"Mr. Hinkle." Lara thrust the microphone in Rowan's face. "Can you speak a few words about the relief you must be feeling at being restored to your loving family at last?"

"I hate my family!" wailed Rowan. "I hate praying all the time! They don't understand me! Niko is my friend!"

"Rowan, honey, I'm sure you don't mean that," said Annette nervously.

"He's just overwrought," said Mrs. Hinkle. "If you'll excuse us, I think we'd best get him home as soon as possible. Come along, dear. Annette, take his other hand." They dragged Rowan off between them.

Lara turned once more to the camera. "According to Mrs. Hinkle, the Commissioner of the NYPD is also here tonight. Let's go in and get a statement from him, shall we? I'm Lara Shirner and you're watching breaking news on New York One. Back to you for now, Lewis."

Ryo changed the channel, and Dee was relieved. He didn't want to see the Commissioner again that evening, either, even if it was only on TV. He turned his head and looked at Ryo hopefully.

"Good thing we got the hell out of there before New York One arrived, huh?"

No answer.

"Still mad at me?"

Ryo shrugged. Dee dropped to his knees and dusted his way a little closer to Ryo. "What can I do to make it up to you, babe? Laundry? Vacuuming?"

Ryo shrugged again and didn't look at him. He kept changing channels.

"I don't suppose a blowjob would do the trick?"

Ryo snorted and shook his head, as if to say, 'Typical!'

Dee gazed at him, thinking. Ryo had been possessive of him, almost romantic when he had been ordering him around back at the hotel. Now he was being so distant. Dee wanted to get Ryo pointed in sexy and affectionate directions again, but he wasn't sure how to go about it. Unless... Something stirred in the back of his mind. Ryo had been cold and distant at the hotel, too. At least until he had whacked him with the sword. It was after that that Ryo had changed and become caring and protective. Perhaps that was the secret. "Hey," Dee said, leaning across Ryo to dust the end table next to his lover's arm. "You wanna, um, whip my ass so it's sore like yours?"

"No," said Ryo. "I don't want to risk injuring you."

Dee looked back at him. "Well, how about you just, er, smack me with your sword again, huh?"

"Are you asking me to physically punish you?"

"Well, not necessarily. I was hoping you might change your mind about that. But if it'll help you get over being mad at me, I'm all for it."

There was a silence, and then Ryo said, "Yes. I think I want to spank you, but I won't if you really don't want it."

"What do you mean? Are you saying I can say no to the spanking?"

"Yes. I'm not about to force you to do anything, especially something painful."

"But you said you _wanted_ to spank me. On a scale of one to ten, how much do you want that?"

Ryo thought for a moment. "Forty-seven," he said finally, with the ghost of a smile.

"Shit," muttered Dee. "But, I can say no.... and you won't hold it against me and refuse to go on vacation with me? You'll forgive me?"

"Yes, you can say no, and everything _will_ be all right between us, because despite all the rotten and stupid things you've done, I still love you the same as I did yesterday, and I've never been able to stay mad at you for long, anyway. We'll call it a night, go to bed and get some sleep."

"Wait a minute. Sleep?"

"That's right."

"And if I submit to the spanking, are we gonna go to sleep right after?"

"Probably not," said Ryo, again with that same faint smile. "You'll probably be too uncomfortable to sleep right away. We'll have to do something to take your mind off the pain."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Something we're going to need... lubrication for."

Dee looked at Ryo for a long minute. "That's a hell of a choice, babe."

"Master."

"Okay, 'Master.' So what you're saying is that if I say no to the spanking, we're gonna go to bed and get a good night's sleep and no one's gonna get their rocks off, whereas if I let you beat my ass, we're gonna make sweet love after?"

"Yep."

"That's... that's sneaky, manipulative blackmail!"

"Well, you should know." Ryo folded his arms and actually smirked. "You're the king of sneaky and manipulative."

Dee stared at him, his open mouth working soundlessly as various feelings fought with each other inside him.

"You-- you-- you're a friggin' sadist! You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Yes, quite a bit," admitted Ryo cheerfully. "But I'm starting to get tired, so please make up your mind quickly."

"Er... Do I get a safe word?"

"Yes. But if you use it too soon, the deal is void and we're going to sleep."

"What? That's not fair! How soon is too soon, anyway?"

"I'll leave that particular calculation up to your judgment. You've got ten seconds to give me your answer." Ryo looked at his watch calmly. "Ten, nine, eight..."

"Wh-what are you gonna spank me with?"

"Five, four, three..."

"Okay! I agree to be spanked, for Christ's sake. Quit counting, already."

"All right then." Ryo grinned wickedly at Dee. "I'll see you in the bedroom in five minutes. Go in there now and strip. I just need to get a few... implements for your punishment."

~end of Chapter 19~

Chapter 20 is already on my Livejournal. Click on my homepage in my profile if you want to read it. Otherwise, wait two weeks and it will appear here.


	20. Chapter 20

**Slave To A Gladiator**

_Chapter 20_

By Brit Columbia

_Fandom:_ Fake

_Pairing: _ Dee and Ryo

_Rating: _ Not worksafe. No sex yet, but there's some kissing and a naked man on a bed getting his butt whacked by a mighty gladiator. That's probably not worksafe.

_Spoilers:_ to Volume 7

_Disclaimer:_ Dee, Ryo and Bikky belong to Sanami Matoh, who created the popular manga, FAKE. I was not paid in any way for writing this story.

_Summary:_ Ryo and Dee go to the bedroom. Dee's still a slave. It's punishment time, and he's hauling out the puppy-dog eyes in the hopes of saving his sorry ass!

_Author's notes:_ Please read and review. I'll post again in two weeks.

Thank you to the_ladyfeather, tripple_p and shelley6441 for culling out all my mistakes. You guys are awesome!

**Slave to a Gladiator,**

Chapter 20

"What the holy fucking hell?" Dee stared in horror at the bundle of objects Ryo was laying out on the bed.

"Don't be a big wimp, Slave." Ryo's voice was stern, but it held a note of barely-suppressed laughter. He selected the black plastic spatula that he normally used to flip pancakes with. "Hmmm..."

"Hey, you gonna, um, you gonna spank me with that? 'Cause if Bikky ever finds out, he'll never let you cook him breakfast again."

"Maybe this, then." Ryo picked up a wooden spoon and turned it around thoughtfully. When he gave his hand an experimental whack with it, Dee flinched.

The next thing Ryo touched was a wet hand towel. He squeezed it gently as if checking to see how much moisture it had in it. Dee rolled his eyes in a futile act of bravado.

"Is that for wiping down my butt before you use your precious kitchen tools on it or is it for soothing the pain after?"

Ryo met his gaze with a faintly amused look. "Neither," he said, as he shook it into a coil and then snapped it out to the side.

"Aw shit!" Dee put a hand over his eyes, imagining how much the wet towel was going to sting when it connected with his flesh. "I don't wanna see any more of those torture devices you got there."

Something made a rattling sound, and Dee couldn't resist peeking out between two fingers to see what was causing it. When he saw what it was, he recoiled, and scrambled as far back on the bed as he could get from Ryo. The man was holding a winged corkscrew in his hand. The long metal screw glinted cruelly in the lamplight.

"Ryo! What the hell are you gonna do with that?" he asked, his eyes big with fear.

It was Ryo's turn to roll his eyes. "Nothing, idiot. I brought it in as a joke! My God, you really do think I'm a monster, don't you?"

"No! Well, maybe. Well, I'm not sure, actually, since I've never seen you acting like this before..." Dee's eyes darted around nervously as he tried not to look directly at the other items on the bed, like that small wooden cutting board with a handle on it. He had only ever thought of it as a cutting board or a cheese tray, but now it was looking an awful lot like a paddle. And a yellow plastic thing lying next to it that looked like the longer of Ryo's two shoehorns. A hairbrush, too. Jesus Christ. He recognized the influence of Serena at work.

Although Dee had been permitted to have a smoke outside the hotel before they got into their taxi, that cigarette seemed like an awful long time ago now. It looked as though Ryo was getting set to give him the ass-whaling of his life, and Dee felt that he needed to be better fortified with nicotine than he currently was. He knew that there wasn't a chance of getting another smoke, though.

"Hmmmm," said Ryo again, sweeping his eyes over the array of utensils that he had laid out neatly in a straight line on the bed. "It's so hard to choose..."

"Take your time," said Dee magnanimously, hoping to delay the moment of truth for as long as possible. He tensed anxiously as Ryo selected an eighteen-inch long rattan back-scratcher, and then relaxed slightly as his lover put it back again. That thing would have hurt like a sonofabitch.

"Oh, I almost forgot," said Ryo, withdrawing the plastic sword from its scabbard at his waist and putting it down at the end of the row. "This belongs here, too."

"Ryo," said Dee slowly as a horrible thought struck him, "you're not, er... you're not planning to use ALL those things on me, are you?" They'd be up 'til friggin' midnight, if so. Not to mention the fact that he'd have no butt left, to speak of, tomorrow.

"No," said Ryo, shaking his head briefly.

"Oh, good. That's what I thought. So it's just a matter of choosing one or two, then?"

"No, Dee. I'm going to use _some_ of them on you; I'm not sure yet how many. You're going to use the rest on yourself."

"I'm..." Dee's mind temporarily went blank. "I'm what?"

"You heard me." Ryo wasn't even looking at him. He was holding the cutting board paddle in one hand and the shoehorn in the other and his eyes were going back and forth between each item.

"Wait a minute, just so I understand this right, you're gonna actually make me beat my own ass with these things? You-- you--" Words failed Dee. He stared at Ryo, completely unnerved.

"Yes, I am. But go ahead and finish your sentence. I believe you were about to call me some sort of sadist."

"Damn right I was! And you're not some _sort_ of sadist-- you're the worst friggin' kind! Cold and cruel and calculating, that's what you are! You're like the reincarnation of the Marquis de Sade himself! You could give that fucking guy lessons! You could--"

"Enough!" The 'cheeseboard' paddle came down hard on the bed right next to Dee's thigh, and he let out a startled yelp.

"Slave," said Ryo with a smile that Dee found disturbing and scary, but also, for some reason, sexy as hell. "Turn around and get on your hands and knees."

Dee gulped and scrambled to do as he was told, whereupon Ryo walked around the bed admiring Dee in his new position. He paused to tie Dee's leash to the brass headboard.

"This is just in case you were thinking of running away, Slave," he said.

Dee looked offended. "Me? Run away? Not a chance. I signed on for this and I'm going to see it through to the end, no matter how deep the waters of sadism turn out to run in you."

"Oh, you're just going to grit your teeth and bear it, are you?" Ryo leaned over Dee and ran a hand down his naked back until it rested on one of his upturned ass cheeks. "Well, I'm telling you right now that I don't want any of that silent, stoic taking of punishment, like you did back at the hotel. If it hurts, I want you to express that. I expect to hear whimpers, groans and screams." Ryo's hand stroked Dee gently. "Well, maybe not screams," he added. "It sure wouldn't be a good end to the evening if the neighbors came knocking, or called 911 on us."

Dee was in complete agreement, at least about the first part of what Ryo had said. He had only been strong and silent at the party because he was in public. Now that he was alone with Ryo, he was definitely going to scream, howl, and holler, whether Ryo liked it or not, and even if Ryo didn't hit him very hard. He wasn't going to risk being silent and heroically forbearing in case Ryo found it necessary to start spanking him harder to get a reaction out of him. He planned to snivel, plead and beg and make puppy-dog eyes in the hopes that Ryo might even cut the punishment short and 'comfort' him. Dee thought he had a reasonable chance of success. Ryo might have a hardass side, but he was a nurturer at heart, and a total sucker for the puppy-dog eyes.

"And now, let's choose a safe word for you." Ryo moved his hand over to Dee's other buttock and caressed that one, too. "Hmmm, how about 'jerk'? Or 'self-centered asshole'?"

"Aw, Ryo." Dee hung his head.

"Or 'punchbowl'? Or maybe 'zucchini-brain'?"

Dee was silent. He obviously didn't like any of his options.

"Do you want to choose your own safe word, Slave?"

"Yeah. How about 'forgive me'?"

Ryo smiled. "Okay, if that's what you want, that's fine with me. But don't forget yourself and say it too soon, or you know what's going to happen."

"How could I forget? You made that part crystal-clear. If I wimp out too early, I go to sleep with a mildly sore ass and a case of blue balls."

Ryo gave Dee's right buttock a hard squeeze and then leaned down to kiss it. "Your ass is very beautiful, Slave."

"You think so?" Dee rubbed it against Ryo's face, unable to help grinning. "Then don't treat it too harshly, okay, Master?"

"Well, I think making it a deeper shade of pink won't do it any real harm. Do you?"

"Uh, if you say so. Pink, sure. Light pink, pale, _pastel_ pink. Just not red or purple, okay?"

"Scaredy-cat," teased Ryo softly, as he moved back from behind Dee and went to consider his row of implements again. He noticed Dee looking nervously over his shoulder at him, and said, "Maybe I should blindfold you."

Dee's eyes widened for a moment. "No, R-- I mean, Master! Blindfold me another time, okay?"

"Why not now?"

"Because there's a really hot-looking gladiator behind me in a leather breastplate, and even though he's about to-- to... beat the crap out of me, I'm still getting off on looking at him."

Ryo couldn't help laughing at Dee's blatant flattery. "All right then, I'll blindfold you tomorrow when the costumes have gone back to the store. But that means you're going to have to look at each instrument of your punishment before I use it on you. Can you handle that?" Ryo removed his hand from Dee's body in order to lift the black plastic spatula and wave it around.

"I can handle anything you dish out," said Dee bravely, and then let out a cry of pain as Ryo suddenly brought the implement down loudly against his ass. "Hey! No fair! How about giving a guy a little warning?"

"What a whiner," Ryo said dismissively. "I was totally holding back."

"Like hell you were!" Dee sulkily rubbed the buttock that Ryo had struck.

"Slave, get your hands back on the bed and keep them there. You may NOT rub your ass this time."

"But-- but-- oh shit." Dee closed his eyes tightly as Ryo swung again. There was a loud splatting sound as the hard plastic spatula connected once more with his rump. Dee made a strangled sound in response.

"Well, that certainly made a nice pink mark," remarked Ryo cheerfully.

"Ryo," Dee groaned, panting. "Not so hard, please!"

"I don't think that was very hard at all." Ryo put the spatula down and picked up the hairbrush. It had a smooth flat, plastic back. "_This_ one's definitely going to hurt more. I'd bite a pillow, if I were you."

Dee started to say something, but Ryo cut him off by giving him a good, solid smack with the hairbrush. Dee's body convulsed and he bucked on the bed, causing half of Ryo's punishment implements to fall onto the floor. "FUCK!" he yelled. "Oaowww!"

"Dee! Shhh! Mr. Hilroy is going to start banging on his ceiling with a broom if you don't keep it down."

Dee pulled a pillow over his head and moaned loudly under it. "Oh shit, ow! Ow-ow-ow-ow-OWW!" His mildly pink butt cheeks swayed in front of Ryo, who looked at him doubtfully.

"Come on, Dee, it wasn't like that was a whip. It was only a hairbrush."

Dee flung the pillow aside and glared at Ryo, red faced and bright-eyed. "Whaddaya mean, only a hairbrush? Have you got any idea how much those fucking things hurt? I'm probably gonna have a bruise right there where you hit me!"

"Well, I'm about to hit you again, so maybe you'd better grab on to that pillow and stuff it into your mouth, or something."

"Nooo! Not with the hairbrush! Please, Ryo, hit me with something else, okay?"

"Well, okay. But I reserve the right to return to the hairbrush, later." Ryo got off the bed and picked up the tools that had fallen to the floor. "I think it's wooden spoon time."

"No," whimpered Dee. "Not the wooden spoon...."

"Hairbrush or wooden spoon?" asked Ryo sternly.

"Umm..." Dee hesitated, trying to buy a few more seconds.

"Wooden spoon, then. Here it comes. Try to be a man about it this time."

"A ma-- AAAAgh!" Dee's feet thumped up and down on the bed as he sucked air through his clenched teeth and quivered in theatrical torment.

Ryo waited skeptically for the thumping and the hissing to cease, and then said, "All right?"

Dee glared at him, his eyes very green in the redness of his face. "All right? Man, oh man. I'd sure like to know what the hell you mean by 'all right'..."

Ryo's mouth set in a determined line, and he hauled off again.

"Yee-OWWWWW!" Dee belatedly stuffed the pillow into his mouth and made a series of agonized sounds as he rode out the aftermath of this latest blow.

"Slave, I must say, I'm shocked at how childish you're being," Ryo said, as he put the wooden spoon down and selected the rattan back-scratcher.

In response, Dee grabbed a corner of the comforter and pulled it protectively over his body, which caused Ryo to shake his head and raise his eyes briefly to the ceiling.

"Slave, put the comforter back, right now."

"Sure!" Dee's voice was muffled by layers of fabric. Instead of tossing off the blanket, however, he started to roll himself up in it, no mean feat, considering he was tied to the headboard by the leash on his collar. "I'll be out in a sec."

"Slave, I'm losing patience with you." Ryo tugged on the duvet, but Dee was well and truly rolled up in it. "Get out of there this minute, or you're going to be sorry."

"I'm trying, Master." The big mound of blankets wriggled energetically, but not, to Ryo's mind, in a way that conveyed a real desire to obey.

"All right, I warned you." Ryo began unpeeling Dee like a banana, working his way up from the bottom. He pulled the comforter up off Dee's legs, tugging it higher and higher until he could almost see his partner's ass cheeks. He heard Dee make a sound that might have been 'Uh-oh," and Ryo knew that if he didn't move quickly, Dee would turn over onto his back so as to protect his exposed and defenseless posterior. Accordingly, Ryo quickly straddled the big pile of rolled-up blankets that Dee was still buried in from the hips up, and picked up the back-scratcher. Dee heaved under him and muffled begging noises issued from the vicinity of his head.

Ryo grinned to himself and brought the back-scratcher down in a diagonal stroke, firm, but not _too_ hard, of course, across Dee's exposed buttocks. The holler this action produced was mighty indeed, and Ryo felt quite relieved that it had been muted by blankets. Before he could get in another whack, Dee had succeeded in bucking him off and had thrashed his way out of the imprisoning folds of the duvet.

His face was flushed and he was panting and clutching his buttocks, against orders. He glared indignantly at Ryo. "That was-- Ryo, that was HARD! Do you have any idea how much that fucking hurt?"

Ryo nodded and stepped off the bed. He turned around and raised the skirt of his gladiator costume, revealing his thong-clad ass to Dee. Two longish, livid bruises marred its otherwise perfect appearance.

"Aw, baby... aw, baby..." Dee blinked at him, looking stricken. "I'm so sorry. I'm such an idiot....Shit."

Ryo ordered Dee to spread the comforter back on the bed so that it looked neat and tidy, and then had him resume his all-fours position. Dee obeyed without a word of complaint, the sight of Ryo's bruises seeming to have silenced him for the time being.

"I'm returning to the hairbrush, Slave." Ryo noticed that Dee's thighs were spread a little further apart this time than last time, making for a very sexy sight, indeed. "Brace yourself. You may express your pain, but _in moderation_. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master," whispered Dee. "I'm all over the whole moderation thing. I'll try not to make too much noise."

Ryo nodded in approval and gave him several light, but rapid smacks with the brush. Dee let out pitiful whimpers as his buttocks contracted, tightening defensively under the blows. He remained where he was, however, and Ryo murmured a few encouraging words of praise. He ran his free hand caressingly over Dee's derriere. It felt hot and that excited him. Dee pressed his burning ass eagerly back against Ryo's hand, seeking comfort. Ryo gave it to him for a moment, pushing firmly with the pressure Dee needed, soothing and stroking him with both hands. His penis stirred at the sight and feel of his partner's feverish haunches. He knew what he wanted to do to that ass, and Dee knew, too. He was sure that Dee wanted it as much as he did. It wouldn't be long now. He just wanted to push Dee a little further, as long as Dee was willing to hold still for it.

He moved back from Dee and picked up the wet towel. "Get ready, Slave. Remember, 'moderation'." But he didn't really expect compliance. If he knew Dee, and he did, his partner would continue overplaying his suffering to the best of his ability.

"Yessir. Moderation. I'll do my best."

However, when the wet towel snapped across his ass, it was quite clear that Dee's best was nowhere near equal to the task. "Yeeaauuughhhhh!" he roared, his right hand flying back to clamp down on the spot where the towel had struck.

"Dee?" Ryo looked down at his lover, feeling more than a little concerned. Dee appeared to be sobbing into a pillow, while his knees and hips made anguished little movements on the bed. This sight caused Ryo's resolution to waver, as a vague sense of guilt crept over him. He wasn't really experienced with snapping wet towels at people. Could it be that he had perhaps gone just a little overboard? He hoped Dee wasn't in as much pain as he seemed. Maybe it would be a good idea to fast-forward proceedings a little.

"Come on Dee, enough drama." Ryo gave Dee's shoulder a bracing thump. "I don't believe it hurt _that_ much."

"You have...no idea...Oh fuck... butt ... hurts..." Dee mumbled incoherently.

"Come on now. Don't tell me you didn't snap a hundred defenseless boys with towels when you were in high school," said Ryo, gently but firmly separating Dee from the pillow he was hugging. Dee wouldn't look at him. "Well?" continued Ryo. "Were you or were you not a holy terror with the wet towel?"

"No fair, dude! Every teenage boy snaps a towel now and then. It's the nature of the beast."

"Well, consider this karma, or something," Ryo said with a smile. "Now for part two of your punishment."

"Part two? I was hoping we were finished!" Dee dabbed at a corner of his eye with the pillow case, which had slithered off the pillow during Ryo's efforts to get it away from him.

"Dee? Are you...crying?"

"No, Master. My eyes are watering that's all. It's a normal physiological reaction when a sadistic-- when someone beats your butt with a whole truckload of torture tools, even though _one_ would have done the trick."

Ryo hesitated and for a moment Dee thought he could see a crack starting to open in his partner's 'master' facade. But in the next moment, the crack was gone and Ryo was handing him the plastic shoehorn.

"Let's see if the same thing happens when you beat _yourself_ with the 'torture tools'," said Ryo heartlessly. "I order you to give yourself two good whacks with this shoehorn."

"R-- I mean, Master! Don't you have any compassion at all?"

"Nope. Now, less yapping and more slapping." Ryo folded his arms and regarded Dee with that same scary-sexy smile as he had earlier.

If Dee's butt hadn't been stinging so much, he could have perhaps gotten off a little on that smile. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and scowled petulantly from Ryo to the long piece of yellow plastic in his hand and back again. Fine. Ryo wanted a show? He would get a show. But it was almost time to bust out the puppy-dog eyes. As far as Dee was concerned, his new motto for what was left of this rapidly shrinking evening was going to be less spanking and more boinking. And since Ryo was so worried about noise, neighbors and 911, it certainly wouldn't hurt to turn up the volume a little, either.

"How do you want me?" he asked "Bed? Floor? Standing? Kneeling?"

"You choose," replied Ryo with a chivalrous gesture. "Whatever's most comfortable for you."

"Yeah, right," muttered Dee under his breath. "This is ALL about my comfort, after all."

"What was that, Slave?"

"Nothing!" Dee got to his feet, then bent over the bed with his right hand resting on it and his butt sticking out. He could feel that aggravating leash taut against the collar on his neck. He swung the shoehorn and gave himself a tentative smack on his left buttock.

"Slave, that one didn't count," said Ryo sternly. "Put a little muscle into it."

"Yes, sir." Dee glared over his shoulder at him, and then swung as hard as he could. "Owtch!" Damn, that had hurt more than he expected.

"Now, again," said Ryo, and Dee obeyed, although with a showier swing and a louder cry. He squeezed his eyes shut and panted loudly for a while, hoping that he could awaken a little sympathy inside Ryo.

"Not bad, Slave." Ryo removed the shoehorn from Dee's twitching fingers and replaced it with the paddle. "Now do it again with this. Harder."

Opening one eye, Dee looked at the paddle and then Ryo, dismayed to see no sign of sympathy. "Harder? Are you trying to kill me?"

"No, Dee, I'm trying to teach you a lesson."

"I get that. I do. And I know you don't believe me, but I already learned it an hour ago."

"Yeah, right. Sure. Now, quit stalling. Give it your best shot."

"All right. If that's what you want." Dee swung the paddle and gave himself a good, loud smack. "YAAAAAgghhhh!" he hollered and promptly dropped the paddle while his heels drummed a pattern on the floor. A thumping sound arose in response from the center of the bedroom floor. Dee hid a smile. Good old Mr. Hilroy and his broom. It had sure taken the bastard long enough.

"Dee! Shhh! Get back on the bed."

Dee obeyed, flopping down onto his back and pathetically rubbing his buttocks against the cool comforter. Stopping to snatch up the fallen paddle, Ryo advanced on him sternly, only to be met by a pair of melting, reproachful, puppy-dog eyes.

He stopped uncertainly. "Dee," he warned. "Don't pull that trick with your eyes..."

"It's no trick, Ryo. I'm in p-pain. This is what my eyes look like when I'm hurting."

Ryo snorted. "I don't believe it. I didn't hit you hard and you know it. I've seen you take way worse pain than this."

"Yeah, but it wasn't cumulative. And it wasn't administered by someone who..." Dee's voice trailed off and he lowered his eyes, which was a calculated risk on his part, since he knew Ryo could never think clearly when he was looking right at the puppy-dog eyes.

"Someone who what?"

"N-nothing. Never mind." Dee let his voice quaver and then drop huskily.

"Dee, quit being coy. Just say it. I order you to."

Dee hesitated and then nailed Ryo once more with the puppy-dog eyes on full power. "Someone who... allegedly... _loves_ me."

"What?" Ryo dropped the paddle, and stared unhappily at Dee. He was fully aware that he was being manipulated, but he couldn't stop an awful feeling of self-condemnation from washing over him like an ice-cold wave on a winter beach. "What do you mean 'allegedly'? Dee, you know I love you!"

Dee hunched his shoulders defensively and winced as he clutched his buttocks with both hands. "Is that why you wanna beat my butt black and blue, even after I SAID I was sorry?"

Ryo couldn't take his eyes off his partner. Dee's face was flushed and his hair was still tousled from when he had rolled himself up in the comforter. He reminded Ryo of a small, naughty boy, a child who knew he had done wrong, but nevertheless wanted to be forgiven and reassured that he still had value.

"Dee," he said softly, "Be fair. Your butt is not even close to being black and blue. I didn't hit you very hard and you know it."

"Maybe you don't know your own strength," mumbled Dee reproachfully. "Besides, there's a psychological component too. I think the fact that you _want _to hurt me hurts almost more than the spanking..."

Ryo closed his eyes briefly and called upon inner reserves of strength and patience before opening them again and reaching out a hand to cup Dee's face. "Dee," he said, "you are lucky you're so damn adorable because even though there's absolutely no doubt in my mind that you're playing me right now, there doesn't seem to be a damn thing I can do to resist you." He watched Dee carefully for that telltale twitch which would be his partner's natural smirk trying to break through, but Dee's control was too good.

"Ryo!" Dee's face and tone conveyed quite a convincing sense of wounded affront. "You're accusing--"

"Shut up," whispered Ryo, leaning in to kiss his lips. "Don't snow me anymore. You've already won, you sneaky sonofabitch. Do you want me to forgive you now?"

Dee pulled back and looked at him warily. "Is it okay? I mean, has enough time gone by? And do you...really?"

"Huh? Is what okay? Do I really what?" Ryo was unsure which question to answer first.

"Do you really 'forgive me'?"

"Yes, Dee." Ryo reached for him again, pulling him close and kissing his hair and the side of his throat, above the tooled leather collar. He reached out with his free hand and swept the rest of the spanking tools onto the floor. Just like that, the punishment was over.

"And...and Ryo?" Dee was still pushing at him, wanting to look him in the eye. "Do you still love me?"

Ryo laughed softly and shook his head. "How can you even ask that, you foolish, impossible man? How could I ever stop?"

"Other people have stopped," mumbled Dee, his voice faltering slightly. "After I pissed them off enough..."

"Yes, but they were stupid," Ryo murmured, straddling his naked partner and looking down at him appreciatively. "They were like those stupid people we hear about in the news who find a Picasso in their attic and then sell it in a garage sale for five bucks."

"Really?" Dee looked up at him with a hopeful little smile on his lips, and Ryo smiled back, knowing that Dee was still manipulating him, although this time it was because he wanted to hear compliments and expressions of love.

"Yes," he confirmed, and kissed the tip of Dee's nose. "But unlike them, _I_ realize what a treasure I have. And I'm hanging on to him. Even though he's sometimes a dick."

Dee put his arms around Ryo and drew him close so he could lay his head on his partner's shoulder. "I love you, Ryo. I'm sorry I was a dick."

"I know. I love you too. But try not to be a dick again, okay?"

"Okay, you got it. I'm going to be so fucking good, you won't believe it." Dee nuzzled Ryo's shoulder and neck. "Say, are you going to, um, take my mind off my pain now?"

"Yes, baby. But let's take a shower, first, okay?"

Dee's cock sprang into an almost immediate state of hardness at the sound of Ryo calling him 'baby'. Ryo was not a pet-name sort of guy, as a general rule, but Dee had noticed that whenever Ryo felt like being the guy in the saddle, he would sometimes call Dee baby. And now Ryo was telling him to report to the shower. A happy gleam came into Dee's eyes. First they would get all squeaky clean as per Ryo's usual specifications, and then Ryo would bring him back here and start giving him sexy orders. Or maybe he was about to get slammed up against the shower stall with nothing but soap for lube! His enthusiasm was momentarily dimmed by the memory of the last time they had done that. Soap had not been the best of lubricants as he recalled. There had been a certain amount of stinging and complaining, even though orgasms had been eventually achieved.

Unaware of Dee's thoughts, Ryo got off the bed and started unbuckling his breastplate. "Don't forget, you're still my slave, even though the punishment is all done," he reminded Dee. "I'd like you to pick up all this kitchen stuff and put it in the sink to soak before you join me in the shower. Don't dawdle. I'm waiting for you."

"Aye-aye, Master!" Dee jumped up eagerly and began to gather the tools that had so recently been used on the bare and now burning skin of his posterior._ You're waiting? I've been waiting for this all night_, he thought, as he opened the drawer of Ryo's nightstand and fished out the bottle of Astroglide. It would be best to be prepared, just in case he got lucky in the shower.

~end of chapter 20~

Thank you for reading. I hope this chapter made you laugh! Chapter 21 is on my LJ page and it's not worksafe.


	21. Chapter 21

**Slave To A Gladiator**

_Chapter 21_

By Brit Columbia

_Fandom:_ Fake

_Pairing: _ Dee and Ryo

_Rating:_ Mature. It's a sexy chapter, but I took most of the sex out to comply with the regulations of this site. If you want to read the hard core version, go to my LJ page. You can find the link in my profile.

_Spoilers:_ to Volume 7

_Disclaimer:_ Dee, Ryo, Bikky, Diana and Berkeley belong to Sanami Matoh, who created the popular manga, FAKE. Todd the bartender, Niko, Cliff and Boris are my characters. I was not paid in any way for writing this story.

_Summary:_ Sex, sex, glorious soapy man-sex in the shower between two men who love each other!

_Author's notes:_ Please read and review.

Thank you to the_ladyfeather, tripple_p and shelley6441 for catching all those mistakes I missed.

**Slave To A Gladiator**

**Chapter 21**

After dumping Ryo's 'tools' into a sink full of soapy water, Dee hurried to join Ryo in the bathroom. The shower curtain was pulled tightly closed, which didn't surprise him. Ryo was always after him about getting water all over the bathroom when he showered.

Dee closed and locked the bathroom door because, yeah, sure, the brat was allegedly gone overnight, but who knew when he might decide he had to dash home to get a forgotten textbook or computer game? It wasn't like it hadn't ever happened before.

When Dee stepped into the tub, pulling the curtain closed behind him, his eyes went straight to Ryo, who was rinsing shampoo out of his hair. Water and soap suds ran down his chiseled torso, and his hands were up, pushing wet hair back from the exquisite bone structure of his face.

Ryo moved his head out from under the spray and gave Dee's naked body a thorough once over with his eyes. "Where's the collar, Dee?"

"On the bed. In case you wanna play with it later."

Ryo smiled. "I do. And the gold chains, too."

Dee tried to keep his face neutral, but inside he felt apprehensive. He didn't actually like being restrained, even though he and Ryo had occasionally played such games. However, he liked being the one to tie Ryo up. He loved having unlimited access to Ryo's lithe, sexy body, knowing that his lover couldn't push him off or wriggle away.

In addition to the whip which had gotten Dee into the trouble he was in, the slave costume had also come with a set of gold chains and manacles. He had shackled Ryo with them earlier, had whipped him-- lightly of course-- and then had rimmed his sweet, puckered little hole, very much against his partner's wishes. But what could Ryo have done to stop him? Not a lot, since he was chained to the bed at the time. And he had enjoyed it-- eventually. Dee had made sure of that. Ryo enjoyed the good hard fucking that came after it, too.

Now he apparently wanted turnabout. Well, okay. Dee was all for turnabout. He had known for the past hour or two that Ryo was probably going to fuck him, but he had been hoping that his partner had forgotten about the chains. Dee had even taken the precaution of kicking them under the bed when Ryo sent him to the bedroom to wait for him.

"The gold chains?" he repeated. "Well, uh, yeah, if that's what you want. Not sure where they are, though..." He stepped around Ryo and into the path of the shower and winced slightly when he felt hot droplets of water hit the tender skin of his rear.

Ryo gave him a shrewd look. "I'm sure you know exactly where they are. And I'll tell you right now that you're not going to get anything you want tonight unless you're wearing them."

"Yes, Master." Dee bowed his head, accepting his fate, and found himself staring right at Ryo's cock. It was half-hard, and suddenly all of his other thoughts were swept away by the desire to get his mouth on it. "Master? Should I wash you?"

"No," said Ryo. "Wash yourself. Use lots of soap." His eyes twinkled at Dee. "Inside and out."

"Yes, sir." Dee grinned back at him, his teeth very white in contrast with his heat-flushed skin and the fall of his gleaming wet, black hair.

Ryo handed him the soap, aware that Dee's physical attractiveness was a kind of weapon that his partner wielded like a pro. He shamelessly used his looks to get his way, to get out of trouble, to get out of performing unpleasant tasks, to get fed, and, naturally, to get laid, as often as he could. He used his charm as well, and no one knew better than Ryo how charming Dee could be. It didn't necessarily work on everyone, but it sure worked on him. However, just because he was aware of Dee's tricks, didn't mean he had thus far been able to build up much resistance against them. He wondered how many years it would take him before he was able to withstand the puppy-dog eyes.

Ryo watched Dee start to soap himself with slow, sensual strokes and he felt his penis filling, lengthening and rising in front of him in response to the sight. Dee's sexy eyes went slyly from Ryo's face to his cock and back again. Oh yes, Dee obviously knew the effect he was having, the power he wielded. Sometimes this bothered Ryo, but not tonight. That wily smirk of Dee's would be gone later when Ryo buried himself to the balls in his partner's body. Maybe even sooner than that.

Ryo reached up and took down the shower brush that normally hung from the shower caddy. "Hmmm," he said, turning it this way and that. A quick glance at Dee confirmed for him that the smirk was indeed gone.

"Hey, wait a second here!" Dee protested. "You said the spanking was finished!"

"And so it is," said Ryo. "Turn around, Slave."

"What-- what are you gonna do?" Dee turned around with extreme reluctance, looking anxiously over his shoulder.

"I'm just going to scrub your back for you, that's all," replied Ryo, trying to look as innocent as possible.

"Uhh, well, okay." Dee sounded relieved. "You're the boss."

"Give me the soap, please." Ryo rubbed the bar of soap against the business end of the scrubbing brush, and gently applied its bristles to Dee's back. Dee visibly relaxed.

"Mmm, baby, if you're trying to get me into the mood, that's definitely the way to do it."

Ryo's mouth set in a hard line and he glared at the back of Dee's head. A moment later, he moved the brush lower and suddenly Dee's sensitive buttocks were receiving a vigorous scrubbing.

"Yikes!" Dee's whole body went rigid and he tried to get away from Ryo. Unfortunately for him, in the confined space of the shower stall, there was nowhere to go. "Ryo, cut it out!" He squirmed and struggled, pressing himself back against Ryo in an effort to close the distance between them, and neutralize Ryo's ability to wield that horrible brush.

Dee's skin was soapy and slippery, and Ryo enjoyed the feeling of his partner's sexy, hard body sliding frantically against his. A moment later, Dee had managed to slither past him and press his sore butt defensively into a corner of the shower stall. He stared at Ryo nervously, aware that he had pissed off his master in some way.

Ryo stepped very close to him and took Dee's jaw firmly in his hand so that he could look sternly into his misbehaving slave's alarmed eyes.

"Let's get something straight, shall we?" Ryo's eyes flickered appreciatively over Dee's features. There was a droplet of water at the corner of Dee's upper lip, and he fought back an urge to dab at it with his tongue. "I'm not trying to get you 'in the mood'. I'm going to have my way with you whether you're in the mood or not. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir. But you can pretty much bank on me being in the mood, sir."

"I know. You're highly predictable in that respect." Ryo almost smiled, but managed to stop himself in time and pull his eyebrows together into a disapproving frown instead. "Another thing. Like you said, Dee, I'm the boss. Not you. So quit trying to take control in sneaky ways."

"What? I never tried--" Dee's indignant protest was cut off by Ryo's fingers pressing against his lips. Their eyes met once more and Dee's widened slightly at what he saw in Ryo's.

"No more bullshit, _Slave_. Behave yourself, because if you don't, you're going to find yourself blindfolded and gagged. It'll be very hard for you to make puppy-dog eyes and con me into doing what you want if you can't see or talk."

Dee was silent. He couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't get him into trouble, and he definitely didn't want to be blindfolded and gagged later when he was... chained to the bed.

Ryo relented a little and moved his fingers from Dee's mouth to his cheek. "You wouldn't like that, would you? It's going to be hard enough for you when I restrain your arms. Isn't it?"

Dee nodded and tried not to let his nervousness show. Did Ryo know? He sure hadn't told him, and shit, he could normally count on Ryo to be pretty clueless. "Yes, Master."

Dee saw Ryo's eyes go to where his pulse was jumping in his throat, and he felt weak as Ryo slid his fingertips down to that point. Lower down, he could feel Ryo's hard penis bumping against his own. Ryo ground against him for a few seconds with his eyes closed, and after a moment's pause, Dee tentatively started grinding back.

"What do you want me to do?" whispered Dee. "I want to please you."

Ryo opened his eyes and reluctantly pushed back from Dee. "I know you do," he said. "This is what I want: I want to watch you... um, put two soapy fingers inside yourself. Make yourself ready for me."

"Master, just so you know, I brought the Astroglide into the bathroom."

Ryo tried not to smile. "We'll use it in the bedroom. Right now I want it to be soap. Soap stings and I think it would be educational for you to feel a little _sting_ in that sensitive place."

"Aw, Ryo, don't tell me you're still mad about that time when I---"

"Quiet! Obey."

"Yes, Master, I'm on it. As soon as I find the soap."

"It's down there. Pick it up." Ryo pointed to the floor of the tub. "And no stupid jokes, please."

Dee sighed and picked up the soap. "I thought you liked my stupid jokes."

Ryo didn't deign to answer. He folded his arms and waited.

Dee straightened and gave him one long smoldering look before turning around and propping one foot up on the edge of the tub. "Take a good look, Master," he said. "I've never done this for anyone else before."

Ryo could feel the heat rising in his body at the sight of Dee's soapy fingers working up a lather as he pushed them in and out of his own body. His balls hung down under his perfect buttocks, a trail of white soap suds dripping down them. He couldn't see Dee's penis, but he knew it was hard.

"How's that?" Dee's voice was tense. "I think I'm pretty stretched and ready for you now. And this friggin' soap is stinging like lemon juice on a paper cut."

"Quit exaggerating," ordered Ryo heartlessly. "Keep... ah, doing what you're doing. Actually, I'd like to see you, um, add a third finger."

"Yes, sir," whispered Dee, and did as he was told with a little hiss of pain. Or was it excitement? Maybe it was both. Ryo stroked his own penis, unable to tear his eyes away from Dee's buttocks and what he was doing with his soapy fingers.

Ryo had been intending to wait until they got to the bedroom, but he suddenly realized that his own excitement was too great. He needed to have Dee now, without further delay. The only question that remained was exactly how he was going to have him.

"Master? May I suck you while I'm getting my ass ready for you?"

"Later," said Ryo, who had made up his mind. "Get your fingers out of the way and get ready for something bigger."

Dee looked back at him, eyes half-closed with arousal. "Yes sir!" He pulled his fingers out of his rear passage and used that hand to hold one of his buttocks to one side while bracing himself against the shower tiles with his other hand. His heart began to beat faster as he felt Ryo move in close behind him. When he felt the blunt head of Ryo's dick nudging up against his soapy entrance, he trembled with excitement. It was going to sting and ache and burn, he knew that. He would have to fight his own nature to stand still and take it, to let Ryo work his thick length inside him. The first few strokes would be difficult. But after that, he would start to relax and it would start to feel good. Better than good. It would feel fucking awesome.

Dee struggled to relax as he felt Ryo line up and push.

"Open for your master, Slave," demanded Ryo in a low voice close to Dee's ear.

"Yes, sir," said Dee. Damn soap! It stung and burned even worse than he had imagined as Ryo entered him.

"Does it hurt?" There was concern in Ryo's voice, which gave Dee some comfort. All he had to say was yes, and Ryo would pull out and take care of him. His partner would be loving and gentle. He would probably feel guilty. Dee didn't want him to feel bad. He wanted him to feel pleasure and passion. He certainly wasn't going to say that it hurt, even though it kind of did. He was going to give his lover full access to his body because that was what they both needed.

"Ryo," grunted Dee. "Do me. Come on, babe, go for it."

Ryo's response was to moan softly and thrust into him, all the way in this time. He could feel Dee's legs trembling, and he took hold of his partner's erection so that he could stroke it sensually.

"All right?"

"Yes, baby," lied Dee, figuring he'd be all right soon enough.

Ryo slid in to the balls and paused a moment to grind in a little before pulling out again, moving a little faster this time. He thrust back in, and once again Dee's channel accepted his entire length. It felt so incredibly tight and slippery in there, the blazing heat of him so amazingly sexy. He could feel his penis starting to throb and he knew it wouldn't be long before he shot. He tried to move in and out of Dee with slow, measured strokes so that he could hold on to his load just a little longer. He didn't want to come right away. Now if Dee would just stay still...

But Dee didn't stay still. Dee started pushing back against him, which caused Ryo to feel a familiar, acute pressure building up inside him. His balls tightened and drew up close to his body, and the muscles of his thighs and midsection started to tense.

"S-slave! Stop moving," Ryo said, and then gritted his teeth and held his breath while the desperate need to come subsided slightly. He had to let go of Dee's penis, because just touching it was contributing significantly to his overexcited state.

"Is there a problem, Master?" Dee asked innocently.

"Yes. You're too damn sexy." Ryo was trembling all over with the effort to get himself back under control. "Whew, that was close." He tried to keep his mind on the hot water that was still raining down on his back from the shower, as well as the hard feel of the enameled tub floor beneath his feet. He gazed at the black and white pattern of tiles on the tub surround and breathed in the humid air of the shower. He counted to twenty in his mind. At twelve, Dee fidgeted slightly, and the feelings came rushing back. "Dee! Stay still!" he commanded.

Dee obeyed, but grumbled. "What's wrong with coming? I want you to come. When you come, it's a real turn-on for me."

"But... what about you?"

"I don't need to come specifically this way. There are lots of ways I can come. Besides, we're gonna go to the bedroom and do it again, right?"

"Uh..." Ryo hesitated. What Dee was saying made sense. He himself would get annoyed if Dee reached climax too soon when Dee was the top and Ryo was the bottom. Ryo loved the feeling of orgasming with Dee's penis buried inside him, but he tended to forget that Dee was a little more flexible in this regard.

"Come on, sweetheart, don't be shy. Let yourself go. I'm your slave tonight, remember? Go ahead and do whatever you want to my body, and let me worry about my own orgasm."

Ryo took a deep breath and then looked down at where his extremely hard penis was still buried between Dee's beautiful ass cheeks. He felt his resolve waver and then abruptly break. "Okay," he said, and took firm hold of Dee's thighs. "Maybe just this once..."

It was at that point he could have sworn that his hips started moving all by themselves, pumping with an ancient rhythm older than mankind. Before he knew what was happening, he was fucking Dee hard and fast, glorying in the pure physicality, the sublime friction, the timeless beauty of this life-affirming act. Freed of all constraints and inhibitions, he took the gift that Dee had given him and rode it out to the only finish possible.

At the end, both of them were trembling with effort. Dee slowly sank to his knees, and Ryo followed him down, managing to stay sheathed inside Dee until almost the last moment, when, despite his best efforts, his softening penis slipped out to hang heavily between his legs. He knelt behind Dee, holding him, while the warm water rained down on both of them and his heart rate returned to normal.

"Dee," he said after a few moments. "Turn around, please. I want to kiss you."

"Yes, Master." Dee shifted in the tub until he was facing Ryo. "I want to be kissed." Then he closed his eyes in pleasure as he felt Ryo's hand take hold of his still-hard prick. Ryo's other hand came up behind his head and pulled him in for a slow, sensual, shower-wet kiss that conveyed gratitude and satisfaction. Passion and desire were still there-- a bit tamped down for the moment, but certainly ready to make a comeback. Dee wondered if Ryo would want to screw him again in the bedroom, or if he had other games in mind.

"Slave," said Ryo softly against his lips. "Would you like to come now or in the bedroom?"

"Master, if possible, and if it's not too much trouble, I'd like to come now AND in the bedroom." Dee flicked the tip of his tongue out at Ryo's upper lip.

Ryo chuckled and smiled at him. "So predictable," he said.

"But in a good way, right?" Dee looked at him in appeal.

"In a very good way."

"And you love me, right?"

"Shut up and come here."

&^&^&^&^&^&^

"Berkie, you were magnificent." Diana gave him a sideways hug and slid one hand inside his toga to roam affectionately over his pectoral muscles. "You managed to salvage Niko's pride while making the guys at the 4th sound like responsible cops who are acting on a tip, but aren't going to do anything over the top. You even got a plug in there for the FBI!"

Berkeley stood up a little straighter, and gently disengaged her roving hand from his chest. The cameras were gone, but he needed time to get over lingering feelings of paranoia. "Yes, well, you surely must have noticed by now that cleaning up the mistakes of other LEO agencies in New York City has, rather annoyingly, become my lot in life."

"Hey, it's not the FBI's fault that so much wacky stuff happens in the city, you know! I did my best to minimize this. But it ended up taking on a life of its own." Diana brushed her large, firm breasts casually against his arm. He had always been susceptible to provocative behavior, the bastard, although it went without saying that timing was everything. "But you got me out of a minor jam, Berkie, and more importantly, you got Niko to pay for the ballroom before he got carted off, so I definitely owe you one." She looked up at him coquettishly.

"Dee-Dee, I'm so pleased that I can continue to be of use to you," said Berk dryly. "If you do indeed owe me one, then I have a couple of questions I'd like to ask you."

"Sure, babycakes. Oh look, here's Todd. Why don't you have him fetch you another drink? I'll be right back. I see Mimi and Della are getting their coats, so I'll just go over to say good--"

"Stop right there." Berkeley's powerful hand closed around Diana's upper arm, and he jerked her back toward him. "I'd like to ask you those questions right now, if you please."

For a split second Diana's mind automatically ran over what would have been the fate of any other man who dared to lay hands on her like that. A chop to the neck, a knee to the solar plexus-- or perhaps lower if she was feeling particularly pissy-- and right away he would be flopping about on the floor, gasping like a fish out of water. She could do it in about two seconds, and Berk knew that. However, she would never, ever, do that to him, and he knew that, too. She forced herself to turn around and smile winningly at him.

"If you insist, handsome. I'm listening. Have at me."

"Let's have a seat," he said, leading her to a nearby pair of chairs. "My dear, how did you know that Cliff's business had suffered a break in?"

"Todd gave him the news," replied Diana casually. She seated herself gracefully and smoothed her hair back with one hand. "I asked him what it was about, and he told me."

"Todd." The Commissioner looked at the bartender thoughtfully. "Todd, would you please fix me a Power Play, Vegas style, with no ice?"

"Yessir." Todd disappeared.

"Diana, I'm warning you to tell the truth. First, Pamela's hair gets set on fire from candles that were strategically placed by you--"

"Berk, that's not fair. I was on the other side of the room when that happened."

"Yes, I noticed that. That was very clever of you."

"If it was MY fault that Pamela ended up with burnt hair and had to go home, how come no one else in the room managed to set themselves on fire? I think this incident says more about the pea-sized brains of the bimbos you keep company with than any special fire-throwing talents on my behalf."

"Speaking of special talents, Dee-Dee, I'm also a shade suspicious about the break-in at Cliff's store."

"I just can't believe how ridiculously paranoid you're being, Berkie. What do you think I did-- sneak out to trash the place between drinks? His store is in Soho, for crying out loud!"

"Diana, _what_ has been done to his store?"

"How the hell should I know?" She folded her arms and gave him a smug smile. "I heard you talking to him on your phone. I bet you know more about the situation than I do. He told you he'd be back tonight, didn't he? Stick around for a while, why don't you? I'm _sure_ he'll be back in fifteen or twenty minutes." Her smile got a little broader.

Berkeley just looked at her, and at that moment, Todd returned with a drink on a tray. He bowed slightly and presented it with a flourish. "Commissioner, your cocktail, sir."

"Thank you, Todd." Berkeley accepted the drink and took a sip. He raised his eyebrows in appreciation. "I must say, that's very good. You do Vegas style better than Vegas!"

"Thank you, sir." Todd looked pleased.

"How long have you been a bartender, Todd?"

"Almost four years, sir."

"Well, you're an excellent maker of cocktails, I have to allow." Berkeley took another sip, and then placed the drink back on Todd's tray. "But you're also FBI, aren't you?"

Todd's smile vanished and he looked at Diana helplessly.

"Todd," Berkeley continued, "I'm going to ask you a question and I suggest you think carefully before you lie to me. What exactly happened at Cliff's sporting goods shop?"

"N-nothing, sir. I heard that the alarm just went off for, um, for some reason."

"I see. And will Cliff indeed be back here in twenty minutes as Agent Spacey says?"

"I doubt it, sir," mumbled Todd.

"That's enough, Todd. You're dismissed." Diana's voice was brisk. "Thank you for all your hard work tonight." She gave him a meaningful look that said, _Get the hell out of here. NOW._

She was touched when he looked anxiously between her and the Commissioner, as if he wanted to stay and help, but she shook her head at him briefly.

He nodded at her and withdrew.

"Dee-Dee, is Cliff in any trouble?"

"Nothing too serious, I'm sure, unless he's been conducting illegal activities on the premises," Diana said airily. "The police are probably there with the security company, conducting a really thorough investigation. I believe it's... ah--" she blinked innocently "- standard procedure when the victim is a _good friend _of the Commissioner of the NYPD..."

Berkeley gritted his teeth in irritation. "Dee-Dee, don't tell me you called them and told them that."

"Berkie, come on. I've been a busy-bee hostess this evening. When would I have found the time?" She looked past him to where the three remaining palanquin bearers lay in glorious, snoring heaps of bare-chested muscle. "I suppose you're going to blame ME for the drunken behavior of your gym buddies, too?"

"The fact that they all passed out after one too many extremely strong Caesar cocktails is one piece of mischief I'm absolutely certain _you_ are the author of."

"Really, Berk. Everyone-- well, perhaps not you, but everyone_ else--_ knows that very young men like to party and get far more drunk than is good for them." She smiled sweetly just to give the barb an extra tang of poison before adding, "You ought to find some friends closer to your own age, don't you think?"

Berkeley let that one go. "Diana, all I know is that I came here with six companions this evening, and one by one, they have been disposed of." He gave her a piercing look. "I think you've been a very bad girl, indeed."

"No I haven't," she contradicted him. "All I've been is efficient. But I could be bad later... if you're a very, _very _good boy." She trailed one dark red lacquered nail down the center of his chest.

"I'll tell you about _later_. You're a bad girl who's going to have a very, _very_ pink bottom tonight," he said surging to his feet and advancing on her like a tiger. "I think it's been too long since you spent some time over my knee." She squealed in delicious fright, and backed away from him.

Unfortunately, Boris, who had been lurking a short distance away with several adoring women in attendance on him, chose that very moment to make an ill-considered attempt to rescue her. He drew himself up and stepped boldly between Diana and the Commissioner. "Do you speak of _beating_ her?" His voice rang with righteousness. "I cannot allow such a thing!"

The remaining guests pricked up their ears and turned their attention toward this latest in what had been a long line of entertaining conflicts amongst Diana's various friends.

The Commissioner swung his predatory gaze to Boris, and the room fell silent. The bystanders were obviously wondering what would happen next. Would the Commissioner punch Agent Brasov? Was there going to be a fight?

A little murmur of excitement rippled through the crowd when Rose took his glasses off. Even Boris stiffened and clenched his fists in readiness. The residual guests looked disappointed when all the Commissioner did was to polish his glasses with a fold of his toga.

"Agent Brasov," Berkeley said mildly. "How would you like to be transferred to the FBI's Anchorage office? Although I have yet to visit Alaska, myself, I hear it's quite invigoratingly cold there."

"Sir! I do not believe that the FBI falls within your particular jurisdiction!"

Berkeley checked his lenses before putting his glasses back on.

"Try me," he said flatly, and the raw power in his tone was unmistakable.

Boris began to bluster a little. He was starting to realize that it had perhaps been a mistake to challenge the Commissioner, but his pride wouldn't allow him to let it go.

"Diana, you must come with me now! You do not have to accept this behavior from him. I promise that he will not beat you if you allow me to escort you safely to your room."

"Boris, sweetie, he's done it before."

"What?" Boris looked at her with horrified brown eyes.

"It's true. He's not _really _going to hurt me, of course, but I kind of enjoy it when he's all bossy like this."

"You won't enjoy it this evening, my dear," Berkeley promised softly.

"Diana!" Boris looked almost stricken. "What are you saying? Earlier today, you indicated that tonight, we would... you and me... well..."

"Another time, perhaps," said Berkeley with a grin, stepping neatly around Boris and seizing hold of Diana. In a moment, he had slung her over his shoulder and turned to bid goodnight to the crowd. Diana thrashed and protested at the ignoble treatment.

"What's your room number, Dee-Dee?"

"I'm not telling you anything until you put me down! What are you, a cavema--OW!"

A loud slap rang out and everyone watched as Diana swore and struggled in Berkeley's iron grip. He held her skirt in place over her buttocks, presumably for modesty's sake, and nodded to the remaining party guests.

"Good night, everyone. It was a pleasure to meet each and every one of you. I hope you've all enjoyed Diana's party as much as I have." As he turned away, he said, "Dee-Dee, you'll get more like that all the way to the elevators unless you start talking."

"All right, all right!" Diana's voice could be heard protesting as Berkeley strode through the double doors to the lobby. "I'm in 502! But my room key..." and the rest of her sentence was lost to the distance.

&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&

End of Chapter 21

One more chapter left, then the story will come to an end!


	22. Chapter 22

**Slave To A Gladiator**

_Chapter 22_

By Brit Columbia

_Fandom:_ Fake

_Pairing: _ Dee and Ryo

_Rating:_ Mature because I took a whole bunch of the sex out. But if you want to read the full-sex version, go to my LJ. You can find the link on my profile page.

_Spoilers:_ to Volume 7.

_Disclaimer:_ Dee, Ryo, Bikky and Ted belong to Sanami Matoh, who created the popular manga, FAKE. Serena the whip-mistress is mine, however. I was not paid in any way for writing this story.

_Summary:_ Beautiful lovemaking between two men who are in a committed, monogamous relationship.

_Author's notes:_ Please read and review.

_Thank you_ to the_ladyfeather, tripple_p and shelley6441

**Slave To A Gladiator**

_Chapter 22_

By Brit Columbia

START

Dee leaned back against the large cushions that Ryo had thoughtfully placed against the headboard for him, and gave his hands a couple of experimental flexes. Nope, the fit was good. He wouldn't be able to slip his wrists out of the manacles. Ryo had woven the chain connecting them through the spokes and curlicues of the brass headboard in such a way that Dee's arms were spread to either side and his upper body had very little mobility. It was a completely different set-up to the way that Dee had attached the chains to Ryo's bed earlier when their positions had been reversed. Dee had manacled each of his wrists and then had simply tied the chain loop to the headboard with the sash from Ryo's blue dressing gown. He had done it that way because he hadn't wanted Ryo to be distracted by worrying about the possibility of the gold chain scratching his heirloom headboard. Ryo's solution, a little different from Dee's, had been to wrap the gold chain in his black cashmere winter scarf.

Dee was touched when Ryo lit a couple of candles and placed them in different locations in the room. Their low, flickering light lent an air of unfamiliar exoticism to Ryo's standard box-shaped apartment bedroom. The light seemed to jump off the brass and fine wood of the furnishings in a way that Dee rarely got to see. It felt special because Ryo practically never lit candles. He tended to be fretful about the chance that unattended candles might start a fire, and also about the possibility of candle wax harming the finish on his furniture. But the fact that he had lit candles tonight meant that even though he wanted to play master and slave, he planned to make love rather than fuck. Dee was glad of that, because his ass was feeling somewhat hard-used from Ryo's urgent attentions to it in the shower. If Ryo was thinking about screwing him again, it would hopefully be slowly and gently.

"Um, you know exactly where the keys are to these things, right?" Dee moved his wrists so that the muffled chains thunked slightly against the headboard.

Ryo smiled secretively, and didn't answer. He just stood silently at the foot of the bed and admired his handiwork. There was so much heat in his gaze that Dee felt almost self-conscious. His cock twitched and began to fill and lengthen in response to the evident appreciation in his partner's eyes. That was a relief because he had blown an awful big load in the shower a mere twenty minutes earlier while being fondled and jerked off by Ryo. He had been a little worried about his recovery time, especially since he'd had two orgasms before they'd even gone out the door to Diana's party a few hours ago. He had recently turned thirty, and although thirty was still young, the years when he could get it up four or five times a night were definitely behind him.

Without breaking eye contact with Dee, Ryo climbed slowly onto the bed and straddled him. Dee gazed back at him, trying to look both nonchalant and seductive. He wondered what Ryo was going to do next. His natural instinct was to reach out and touch him, but chained up like this, it was impossible.

Ryo ran his hands over Dee's shoulders and chest, stroking, exploring and even tickling slightly.

Dee chuckled against his will and twisted in his bonds, trying to avoid Ryo's naughty fingers as they danced over his ribs. "Master, please don't tickle me! Not that. Oi!" He laughed out loud, an almost painful sound, and struggled harder.

"Quiet, Slave." Ryo was obviously trying not to smile. "Let's see if your feet are as ticklish as your ribs..."

"NO!" Dee drew his knees up and tried to dig his feet into the bedding. "Ryo, don't do it. You'll regret it!"

Ryo stopped and looked at him. "I will? Why?"

"Look at that nice boner I've got there. It's already starting to shrivel. Tickling does that to him, you know."

This time Ryo couldn't stop himself from not only smiling, but laughing even louder than Dee had. He quickly covered his mouth with his hand, however, not wanting any more ceiling-to-floor communication from their downstairs neighbor, Mr. Hilroy.

"What's so funny?" Dee demanded. "You're not the one who's being tickled!"

"How about if I tickle 'him' instead? Would 'he' like that?" Ryo's laughing eyes danced from Dee's penis to his face.

"Oh, he'd love that," said Dee, raising his hips hopefully toward Ryo's hovering hand. "Look at him. He heard you and he's growing again."

Ryo wrapped his hand around Dee's penis and began stroking it in the way he knew Dee liked. A good firm grip and a flick of his thumb against the sensitive spot on the underside of the head on the upstrokes had Dee moaning in no time.

"Oh yeah, that's good, real good..." Dee closed his eyes and began thrusting into Ryo's hand. This was infinitely better than being tickled. When Ryo's other hand moved to fondle his balls, he gasped and opened his eyes. "Oh yeah, baby, just like that."

Those warm, knowing hands immediately left his male parts and moved up his chest again.

"H-hey, why'd you stop?" Dee whined almost breathlessly.

"You should call me 'Master', not 'baby'." Ryo lowered his warm body onto Dee's and began inching up Dee's torso, and Dee bit his lip when he felt Ryo's hard, velvety cock slide over his own, just for a moment.

"I'm sorry, Master. It's kind of hard for me to get used to being a slave. But I'm going to try my best!" Dee was determined not to piss Ryo off again. "Say, do you think you could rub your dick against mine again, like you just did?"

"Like this?" Ryo did it again.

"Hell, yeah. I mean, yes, Master. Love that. Um, can you do it some more?"

"You're a very talkative slave," said Ryo. "You're surprisingly full of requests, too."

"Sorry, Master." Dee wriggled underneath Ryo, trying to get a harder cock-to-cock contact. "Is that bad?"

"Well, I know a way to shut you up."

"Really, Master?" Dee hoped it was his favorite way of being shut up, as opposed to the dreaded gag Ryo had threatened him with earlier.

"Yes. A couple of ways actually." Ryo's face swam in close to Dee's, and his open mouth touched Dee's lips gently before moving back out and returning at a different angle. Dee turned his head slightly in an effort to capture Ryo's mouth with his own, but Ryo continued to tease him by coming in for brief, light, open-mouthed kisses with just the barest hint of tongue.

Once more, Dee silently cursed his bonds. If his hands had been free, he could have taken hold of Ryo's face, pulled him close and kissed all that distant, bossy authority right out of him. Ryo had always been gratifyingly susceptible to his kisses.

"Master...Mmmm...."

"Mm?

"Please, kiss...nnhhh...kiss me deeper..."

"Full of requests, like I said. Tsk, Tsk." However, Ryo did as Dee asked, taking Dee's jaw firmly in his hand and sliding his tongue into Dee's hot, sweet mouth.

Dee kissed back for all he was worth, sucking on Ryo's tongue and darting his own tongue against Ryo's lips and teeth. He had to make Ryo want him, had to increase his lover's desire before there was any more talk about tickling or gags or God knew what else. He wasn't about to forget that Ryo was capable of teasing him for a long time, of working him into a state of pleading desperation-- after all, he had done it before-- and Dee was definitely not in the mood for any more mental or physical torture. What he needed was an emotional and physical connection with Ryo after the stressful events of the party.

Ryo pulled back and said, "Slave, are you trying to take control?"

"Your slave is only trying to please you by kissing you to the best of his ability."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Master, don't you like the way I kiss you?"

"No, I don't like it." Ryo narrowed his eyes at Dee. "I love it, you bastard, and that's the problem."

"Why should it be a problem?" whispered Dee, his eyes dropping to Ryo's lips, which were slightly kiss-swollen. "I love kissing you; you love kissing me, we both enjoy it, no problem. Let's kiss some more."

"Later," murmured Ryo, moving further up Dee's body until his knees were on either side of Dee's shoulders. His erect cock bumped against Dee's lower lip, and Dee's tongue promptly came out to taste it.

"Yeah, do it, babe! Sorry, I mean 'Master'. Fuck my face. Let me--" Dee's next words were cut off as Ryo nudged the head of his penis into Dee's mouth.

"Shhhh," said Ryo and pulled back out to swirl the tip of his penis against Dee's lips before pushing it back in again. Not too far, of course. He would let Dee set the pace for now. He wasn't sure if Dee could take his whole length in this position, and he didn't want to choke him. God, that soft, searing mouth felt good.

Dee groaned in pleasure, letting the vibrations of the sound reverberate along the length of Ryo's hard dick. He moved his tongue strongly against the underside of it as it slid slowly in and out of his mouth. He wished he could get his hand free so that he could fondle Ryo's testicles. If he had more freedom of movement, he could have moved his head right off Ryo's cock and at least licked them. But, sadly, it was impossible with the way Ryo was straddling his shoulders and fucking his face up against the headboard. All he could do was take it, and moan and use his tongue as best he could until Ryo changed the rhythm.

Although he couldn't touch, he could feel the quivering tension in Ryo's body. He knew his lover's thighs and stomach muscles were really hard. Ryo would last longer this time; that shower fuck had taken the edge off for him. Dee moved his hips this way and that in a futile effort to try and rub his own neglected dick against something. Goddammit, it was frustrating being chained.

He wasn't consciously aware that he had been straining against his bonds until Ryo stopped thrusting into his mouth and pulled out enough to poke Dee's face with his spit-wet cock.

"Slave," said Ryo. "Stop pulling on the chains. You're going to hurt your wrists if you keep doing that."

"Huh?" Dee glanced up at him. "Oh, right. Sorry about that." _Ow. _Ryo was right. His wrists were throbbing. Better stop pulling on the chains in case he inadvertently dented Ryo's heirloom headboard. This had been Ryo's parents' bed and Dee was pretty sure he'd never hear the end of it if he caused it any damage.

He took the opportunity to nuzzle Ryo's balls. They smelled of soap and Ryo's natural male musk.

"You know what your problem is, Slave?"

_Yes,_ thought Dee. _I'm restrained by a set of goddamn costume-rental chains and I can't grab you and grope your pecs and your thighs and then throw your gorgeous body down on this bed and have my way with it. _However, he didn't think that Ryo, in master mode, would be pleased if he came right out and said that. So instead, all he said was, "No, Master. What's my problem?" between long, wet licks of Ryo's cock and balls.

"You're not able to surrender," Ryo said. "You always have to be the guy in charge, the one on top."

"Um..." mumbled Dee around Ryo's dick. "Is sak bab?"

"No, it's not bad, unless your partner has chained you to a bed and you're playing gladiators and slaves."

"So it's bad, then?"

Ryo moved his knees back from Dee's shoulders and Dee stuck his tongue out as far as he could in one last attempt to lick his retreating dick. But--oooh-- as Ryo moved down his body, Dee felt parts of Ryo brush against his lonely and straining cock. He closed his eyes briefly and rubbed it against his partner.

"Dee." Ryo was looking into his eyes and smiling. "What if I order you to surrender?"

Dee looked back at him helplessly. "I can't, baby. This is me. Might as well order me to have blue eyes or grow fins."

Ryo bent his head and kissed Dee's chest. "I don't want you to have blue eyes or fins. How about if I order you to relax and trust me?"

"Well... Are you planning on tormenting me any more? Like spanking or scrubbing? Not that I'm trying to say I didn't deserve it, but..."

Ryo flicked at one of Dee's nipples with his tongue and then nibbled it softly with his teeth. "No more pain. I promise."

"Are you going to tease the hell out of me, then? Because that's almost as bad as pain if a person is... all chained up and can't move."

"I'm going to give you pleasure, only pleasure," Ryo murmured between the slow, sensual kisses he was planting across Dee's chest. His hands slid from Dee's strong shoulders and up his raised arms as far as he could reach, squeezing and exploring their hard curves. "I might tease you a little bit, but I won't be cruel."

"Maybe your idea of cruel is different from mine."

"Dee, I know that being restrained like this is hard for you, but--"

"Hard? Hah!" Dee smirked broadly. "What are you talking about? The only thing that's hard is-- mph!"

"Quiet, Slave!" Ryo's whole hand covered Dee's mouth. "Don't bother bullshitting me. I already know."

Dee blinked back at him with eyes that were trying to look innocent and confused. "Know what?" they seemed to say.

"I know that being restrained makes you nervous."

Dee tried to respond to this, but Ryo kept his hand in place.

"I'm also aware that you can handle it, tough guy. But I would like you to try to relax and trust me. You're not in control-- _I _am. I've already made up my mind what I'm going to do to you. You have no say about it, any of it, so you might as well accept it. Try to relax, okay?"

Dee looked back at Ryo with a combination of fearful anticipation and adoration. He had given up trying to hide his feelings at the moment that Ryo had told him he knew about his sentiments regarding being chained. His lips moved only to kiss the hand that was covering his mouth, which brought him a smile from Ryo.

"Now," said Ryo in a voice that portended his increased dominance of Dee. The look in his eyes-- amused, possessive, knowing-- made Dee shiver.

"Let's see about making you relax, shall we?" Ryo removed his hand from Dee's mouth, caressing his jaw and tracing the outline of his lips as he did so. He loved looking at Dee. The man was movie-star handsome, except better-looking than any of the movie stars Ryo had ever seen. But it was his fiery, cocky, confident personality that added the gilding touch to his attractiveness. It was really the personality that Ryo had fallen in love with, although the packaging that it came with was something that he quietly enjoyed on a daily basis. He wasn't sure that Dee understood that though, since he played up his looks and the power of his appearance every opportunity he got.

He caressed and kissed Dee all over with firm, masculine strokes. No light, torturous caresses or tickling, as he had promised. He just wanted to enjoy exploring the scents and textures of the helpless and bound masculine body that was thoroughly at his disposal.

It was amazing how different Dee's skin felt at various locations on his body. There was the fine-grade sandpaper feel of the stubble rising on his jaw, the marble smoothness of the tops of his shoulders, which gave way to the faint roughness of hair as Ryo's hands moved steadily down his arms. The rugged, jutting bones of Dee's strong wrists were a new delight, especially in contrast with the tender skin on their undersides. The skin on the back of Dee's hands felt almost leathery from years of sun; his palms were softer, although there were a few light calluses in the place where the fingers began. The skin on Dee's fingers was rough, more so on his left hand than on his right. The knuckles also had ridges of calluses, not unlike Ryo's own, except that Ryo's had come from repeated punching of a heavy bag in the pursuit of his Karate skills, whereas Dee's had come from regular street fights, both before and during his years as a cop.

Ryo kissed each of Dee's hands and moved his attention to the man's torso. Dee was well-muscled, but lean. His body gave an impression of aesthetically pleasing delineation of muscle, rather than bulk or raw power. However, the quality of Dee's muscle was very good, very dense. Ryo, who had been in full-contact martial arts since he was fifteen, had many years of experience of sizing up opponents. He could tell just by looking at a person and watching how he or she moved, who had dense and heavy bones, who was fast, who was flexible, who had a sturdy enough core to withstand repeated blows to it. Dee had all of those things. He was heavier than he looked, immensely strong and quick, and his physical coordination would have made most aspiring pro athletes green with envy.

Ryo nuzzled the broad, flat pectoral muscles, breathing in deeply through his nose the spicy aroma rising from the furry tufts in Dee's armpits. It smelled like equal parts designer deodorant (Ryo's own, as usual) and the wonderfully individual pheromone-laden scent of Dee himself. The skin of his chest was smooth, his little masculine nipples were satiny soft, initially wrinkled and malleable, but quickly rising to firm attention when tugged, rolled and licked.

Ryo's tongue and fingertips together traced the line of hair that began at Dee's navel and led the way down his muscled abdomen to the neatly trimmed thatch of dark hair at his loins. Dee's torso rose and fell under Ryo's touch as Dee's breath quickened. "Please, please..." he whispered.

Ryo glanced up at him from where he was paying homage to one of Dee's lean hips. The skin was impossibly smooth here, so smooth that it gleamed softly. "Please what?" Ryo's fingertips tugged slightly at the skin, watching it slide over the bone of Dee's hip and the hard muscle and sinew around it. He quickly pressed his lips to the area, once again inhaling the potent scent of Dee's body.

"Please... my cock. Lick him, touch him, even just for a moment?"

Ryo had been purposely ignoring Dee's penis, although it wasn't easy. It lay against Dee's flat belly, pointing toward his chin, very hard, quite red at the tip, and drooling a little trail of precum. "I'll think about it, Slave." He eyed the wetness on its crown, wanting to lap up the moisture, to taste the salty stickiness on his tongue, but also wanting to make Dee wait just a little longer. He caressed Dee's thighs, pushing them apart so that he might lick the sensitive skin on their insides, biting gently at the hard muscle on their outsides, enjoying the sensation of male body hair under his lips. He had kissed female thighs before, pressing his face into their hairless, yielding softness. They were so very different from the male variety, which he now understood that he infinitely preferred.

He lifted his face and ran his hands firmly down Dee's legs, squeezing as he went in a motion almost like massage. He paused to gently kiss the bullet wound on Dee's thigh, the one he had been given by John Hale years ago before being left to die with Bikky in a bomb-rigged school. Whenever Ryo looked at that wound, it brought a surge of emotion out of his heart. Although shot and bleeding, Dee had saved Bikky and disarmed a bomb, somehow managing to survive the other explosions. Afterward, Ryo had sobbed limply in his arms; the relief and gratitude that overwhelmed him at that time had been the most powerful emotion he had felt in the ten years since his parents had died. This memory was one of many that helped him to make his decision when the time had come to choose Dee as his life partner. For so many years he had been an automaton: breathing, working, eating, sleeping, failing at relationships because his heart was essentially closed. It had been Dee and Bikky who had, each in his own way, brought Ryo back to life.

He looked up at Dee again. His lover was watching him through half-closed eyes, trying not to look too desperate. However, his thick black lashes were unable to block the naked arousal in his gaze.

"Please," Dee repeated, and Ryo relented, moving up Dee's thigh to lap at his partner's testicles and lick his way slowly up the length of his penis. It was so hot and hard, the skin like velvet, another astonishing texture he knew he could never get enough of.

Dee groaned in response and moved under him, rocking his hips up against Ryo's mouth. "Yeah, oh yeah..."

Ryo sucked it for a while, his arousal increasing alongside Dee's. He was rubbing his own erect penis against one of Dee's legs. His whole groin area felt sensitized, his balls, his perineum, even his anus. He voluntarily contracted the muscles around and inside that area, and felt a familiar hunger. He wanted Dee inside him, and soon. He wanted to be filled up. He almost couldn't believe that he wanted that particular pleasure again, only a few hours after he had last had it. It was now his favorite sexual activity, although the mere thought of it had once filled him with terror. Dee had taught him how to relax and trust enough to enjoy it. It was uniquely pleasurable, although one had to take care, as pain was always lurking just around the corner. There were times when he wanted it hard and rough, and other times when he wanted it slow and gentle, wanted it inside him for a long time, relishing the sensation of being joined with the one he loved, his heart beating in time with Dee's.

When he raised his head off Dee's penis, his eyes went immediately to the bottle of Astroglide on the nightstand. He had brought it out of the bathroom himself. It was time to torment his slave a little.

Dee's eyes followed his with a questioning expression on his face. Ryo grinned at his lover, enjoying the fact that Dee had no idea what was coming next. He rose up on his knees and reached for the lube, noting that Dee didn't move a muscle.

In fact, Dee was focusing his whole being on trying to stay calm and loose. If he was about to get it up the heinie again, it sure wouldn't do to be tense, sore as he was. That evil grin of Ryo's told him everything he needed to know.

Ryo knelt astride one of Dee's thighs, and flipped the pop-up cap off the bottle of lubricant. He poured some onto his fingers and then took his penis in hand, stroking himself up and down, watching Dee as he did so.

"Um, Master," began Dee. "Could you--"

"Shh!"

Ryo next poured some lube onto Dee's penis and stroked it as well.

"Mmmmm," said Dee, enjoying it, but still looking a little uncertain.

When Ryo poured lube onto his fingers again and then reached under his balls to lubricate his own entrance, Dee's eyes widened in surprise. Ryo noted with amusement that he also looked rather relieved.

"Master!" said Dee mischievously. "I didn't know gladiators were in the habit of riding their slaves."

"This gladiator does," said Ryo, pushing a second wet finger into himself. "But, then this particular gladiator once was a pleasure slave himself."

"And a mighty fine pleasure slave you were, too," said Dee. "You've gone from a slave to a gladiator in just a few hours."

"Your fortunes have changed as well," Ryo reminded him.

"Yeah, but as long as I'm _your_ slave, I'm happy with my lot in life." Dee smiled up at him and then looked down to where Ryo's fingers were busily moving. He wished he could see the point of entry, but the angle was wrong. "How does that feel, Master?"

"I like it better when you do it," Ryo confessed, "but don't get your hopes up that I'm going to unchain you." He added more lube and resumed working his nether entrance. His face was growing pinker the longer his self-prep lasted. He knew from experience that it was harder for him to impale himself on Dee's hard penis than it was when Dee took care of the penetration, and that adequate preparation with lots of lubricant was the key to success. He felt a little self-conscious that Dee was watching him pretty much fuck his own ass with his fingers, but Dee clearly thought it was hot, so he didn't let it bother him too much.

Finally, he deemed himself ready, He snapped the lid back down on the bottle of Astroglide and then tossed it down on the bed next to Dee so that it would be handy if he needed more. He moved into position, straddling Dee's hips and reaching back with his hand to hold his partner's penis steady. He felt a momentary wavering of his confidence. The last few times he had done this, Dee's hands had not been restrained and he had been able to help with the angling and the steadying of his member. This time, Ryo would have to do it all himself.

He looked down at Dee's excited face and the sight emboldened him. All Dee's nervousness was gone. His eyes kept darting from Ryo's face to his cock and then back again. His hands still clenched and opened unconsciously in the manacles, but he no longer seemed apprehensive. Ryo leaned down to kiss first Dee's forehead and then his lips. He fixed his supine lover with a stern gaze.

"Slave," he said. "I expect you to please me. Do you understand?"

"Uh-huh," said Dee, nodding rapidly. "I'm in the doghouse if I blow my load before you, right?"

"Yes. But you'll be more than just in the doghouse. If you come before I do, then you're going to sleep in these chains. Is that clear?"

"Master!" From the depths of his considerable repertoire, Dee managed to summon up a very piteous expression.

"I said, 'Is that clear?'" Ryo frowned down at him.

"Yes sir. I got it. I'll do my best, Master, even if I have to use mental images of the Chief... and his wife... naked togeth--"

"Okay, that's enough," said Ryo hastily. "If you have to think such thoughts, please keep them to yourself. Now get ready, Slave. Your master desires you."

"Ooh," said Dee. "I'm a lucky, lucky slave..."

"Shut up. I mean it." Ryo tried to focus and relax at the same time, a feat every bit as difficult as it sounds.

He could feel the blunt head of Dee's cock pressing up against his well-prepared entrance. It achieved a certain amount of pressure and then seemed to abruptly slither out of the way. He and Dee both sighed in frustration and tried again. Dee's dick badly wanted to go in, Ryo wanted the same thing, but at least two more times they had the same problem, until on the fourth attempt, Ryo felt that they had the angle down perfectly.

"Easy, baby, easy... Take it slow," murmured Dee, although not that long ago he had been forbidden to speak.

Ryo let out a little cry and tossed his head as he and Dee together unexpectedly broke through his defenses. Dee jerked up into him and then froze. Ryo held his breath for a moment, one hand on Dee's chest, the other on the penis that was now partially lodged inside him. In a surprisingly short amount of time, his tight muscles let go and allowed gravity to do its work. Ryo slid down further onto Dee's erection, stopping briefly when he was about three quarters of the way in, just long enough to let a passing spasm run its short course.

Dee's eyes had been closed during the slide. Now he opened them and gazed up at Ryo. "You," he gasped out, "are a Roman_ god_. So tight, so beautiful..."

"Hush," breathed Ryo for lack of ability to speak. He had no real expectation that Dee would keep quiet, however. Taking a deep breath he rocked his hips forward experimentally, which caused Dee to slide all the way home. Ryo almost lost his balance with the shock. An incoherent whimper escaped him.

Ryo proceeded to ride Dee with uninhibited and single minded intensity. As Dee had predicted, the orgasm in the shower had taken his edge off, which left him with a certain amount of staying power. Dee gazed up at him lustfully, relishing the sight of Ryo on fire, and trying his best not to let the breathy moans and whimpers his lover was making send him over the edge. Ryo was _fucking_ him, taking him, demanding pleasure and fulfillment from him, albeit from a traditionally passive position. Dee gritted his teeth and thought of the Chief, along with the elderly Mr. Hilroy, whenever it got to be too much. Ryo was going to come first, dammit, no matter how long it took. He was pretty sure Ryo had been bluffing about making him spend the night in these chains, but he wasn't in a hurry to test his theory. Ryo had surprised him more than once this evening.

At one point, Dee put his knees up and tilted his pelvis to try to get in deeper, but when his hard thighs made contact with the whip bruises on Ryo's buttocks, Ryo gasped in pain and ordered Dee to keep his legs down. Contrite, Dee obeyed, but it was difficult for him when he understood how little movement this prohibition, along with the chains on his wrists, was going to afford him.

For his part, Ryo was reveling in being the one with the power. For once it was he who was setting the pace, he who was controlling the outcome. He had to admit that he liked being in control. He liked ordering Dee to obey him, to service him. Of course, he also enjoyed being held down and taken by Dee, which was what usually happened on other occasions, but for now, being the commander of his own pleasure as well as his partner's, certainly had a lot to recommend it.

"Can I come soon, ba--, uh, Master?" Dee panted

"Soon," Ryo moaned, throwing his head back and closing his eyes as he felt the pressure start to build in his balls.

Dee recognized the signs, having seen them many times before. Ryo's face was already flushed, but his breath quickened and his muscles grew taut.

"Baby, you'd better be planning to go this time," Dee warned urgently, hoping Ryo would take himself back from the edge. "I'm not gonna be able to hold out much longer if you're gonna ride me hard and-- oh God-- deep like that."

Ryo didn't answer because at that moment his orgasm lunged up and took him. Waves of ecstasy swept over him and his penis pulsed its effluence over his fingers.

"Dammit-- you-- aw fuck, fuck!' cried Dee as he felt Ryo's insides contract spasmodically around his dick. A moment later he was grinding up into Ryo as hard as he could, shooting his climax far up into Ryo's body.

Ryo ground back, his eyes still closed and his mouth temporarily slack. He was still flying, the waves of his own orgasm still rippling faintly through his insides. The head of his cock felt raw and sensitive and his balls felt lighter.

"Baby! Jesus, that was hot." Dee panted and grinned up at him, twisting his hips under Ryo's, trying to squeeze out the last little bit of sensation.

Ryo glanced up at the headboard to where Dee had started pulling on his chains again. "Dee, stop that. Keep your hands still."

"Huh? Oh yeah, right." Dee glanced at his hands and made an effort to stop. He looked up at Ryo appealingly. "Master... Can you, uh, can you...?"

"What, another request?" Ryo said sternly, but then softened the words by reaching down to gently brush Dee's thick, still damp hair off his forehead. He gave him an affectionate smile because he had some notion of what it might be about.

"I need you," Dee said simply.

"I know," said Ryo and eased himself carefully off Dee's rapidly softening penis. He snatched a couple of tissues out of the box on the nightstand and wiped Dee off quickly with them, doing the same for himself when he had finished. Only then did he look down into Dee's anxious face and tell him the words he needed to hear. "I love you, Dee. Never doubt that. You're my everything."

"Ryo, c'mere!" Dee's voice held a tone of urgency. Now, as always, it tugged at Ryo's heartstrings and awoke every nurturing instinct he possessed. He thought it was adorable the way Dee always got emotional after sex. It had been a big surprise that the cocky, swaggering Dee Laytner would have such a weakness. Prior to sleeping with him, he never would have guessed.

"You big silly," he said softly, lowering himself onto Dee's body and nuzzling affectionately at the side of his neck. He slid his arms under Dee's shoulders and held him tightly. As he was still restrained, Dee couldn't return his embrace, but he lifted his legs and wrapped them around the backs of Ryo's thighs, effectively hugging him with his lower body. He nuzzled back, whispering with unintelligible passion, endearments which Ryo couldn't really hear.

He didn't need to hear, however. He understood the gist of it. Dee was deeply in love with him, just as he was with Dee. They belonged to each other for life, through the good times and the bad. They were each destined to make mistakes, but somehow, Ryo knew he would always be able to find it in his heart to forgive Dee for anything he did. "I love you," he repeated, the sheer power of that feeling flowing through him, its certainty echoing in every molecule of his being. "_My_ Dee..."

The man beneath him gradually relaxed, and after a while, Ryo raised himself enough to look down at him affectionately.

"Hey," said Dee. "What's our story?"

Ryo's brows drew together in a little frown of puzzlement. "What do you mean?"

"What's our story in the fantasy? You know, like earlier, I was a gladiator who won you by fighting for you. You were a brand new slave who hadn't been trained."

"Oh." Ryo thought for a moment. "Okay, how about this? We're both gladiators, and we're both good fighters. You challenged me to a fight to determine who was the best. The loser had to be the other gladiator's slave for the night. I defeated you and collected my winnings. But first I punished you for your insolence."

"I like it," said Dee, grinning at him. "You know, babe, you're good at this stuff."

Ryo flushed with pleasure.

"Maybe we can play this game again sometime."

Ryo shrugged, trying to look casual. "Maybe."

"But next time it's YOU who gets tied to the damn bed!"

Ryo shrugged again. "We'll see," he said.

"'We'll see', nothing! You, not me. Got that?" Dee gave Ryo a fierce look.

Ryo raised himself up onto his knees and looked down at Dee, his eyebrows raised. "Do you want to be unlocked now, or not?"

Dee's eyes widened. "Oh, yes, please, Master. I'm sorry if I offended you. Please unlock me right now, Master, please!"

Ryo got off the bed and started moving things around on the top of the dresser. "Uh-oh..." he said.

"Ryo, what the fuck?" Dee's head whipped around and he stared in alarm at Ryo. A second later, he relaxed visibly and rolled his eyes.

"I could have sworn I put them right here," murmured Ryo perplexedly.

"Nice try, babe. Don't play cards for money with that face, you hear?"

"But, Dee, the keys aren't here!"

"Give it up, dude." Dee yawned sleepily. "You know, it's not that I blame you for trying out a little payback, but I ain't buying it. I think you know exactly where those keys are. Now, come on, cough 'em up and get me out of these chains!"

"Maybe after I've had another shower," announced Ryo, looking slightly peeved. "Back soon!"

"Hey!" yelled Dee, but Ryo was striding out through the bedroom door.

&^&^&^&^&^&^

Even though it was past their normal bedtime, Ryo was in the kitchen setting up breakfast materials for tomorrow. The coffee maker would be ready to go with the push of a button, and now he was neatly arranging mugs, bowls, spoons and boxes of cereal on the table.

Dee, meanwhile, had seized the opportunity to help himself to certain items from Ryo's closet that he hoped he would be allowed to wear tomorrow.

He paused in the act of rootling through Ryo's sock drawer to answer his cell phone. "Ted, is that you? Speak up, man, I can hardly hear you."

"Dee, you asshole, I _can't_ speak louder," Ted hissed. "I'm in the bathroom on my cell right now. She's waiting for me in the bedroom and-- and-- dude, you wouldn't believe what she wants to do!"

"What does she want to do?" asked Dee, trying to sound as innocent as possible.

"She's got-- get this-- a COLLECTION of dildoes, and a-- a strap-on harness and she wants..." Ted's voice trailed away.

"Yeah? Go on."

"Well-- you gotta promise me that no word of this gets out to anyone at the 27th, you got that?"

"Got it, man."

"I'm serious, Dee! I kept my trap shut about you and Ryo, so I think you owe me one."

"Yeah, dammit, I do." Dee sighed. He had been looking forward to embarrassing the hell out of Ted the next day. "Don't worry, I won't tell a soul."

"Well, she wants to-- you're not going to believe this-- she wants to stick those dildoes up my ass! She wants to wear that goddamn harness and-- and do me like a girl!" Ted's voice rose in indignation on those last few words, and Dee's shoulders shook with suppressed snickers. He clamped his hand over his mouth so that Ted wouldn't hear.

"Dee? Hey buddy, you there?"

"Yeah, uh-huh, I'm here."

"Well, what the hell should I do? I mean, Jesus, I'm really in a bind here!"

"Look, Ted, you were the one who wanted to go home with a dominatrix."

"I know, but--"

"You were the one who bent over backwards to convince her you weren't Mr. Vanilla."

"I know, but--"

"So now I think you should just bend over forwards and take it like a man."

"WHAT? You fucked-up sonofabitch, you're no help at all!"

"Teddy boy, YOU got yourself into this, let me remind you." Try as he might, Dee couldn't keep the gloating note out of his voice. "Anyway, you can totally do this, man. It's not like she's a guy, or anything. She's an incredibly hot, sexy woman, would you not agree?"

Ryo's frowning visage abruptly appeared in front of Dee, and Dee winked at him to let him know he shouldn't be jealous. Ryo looked doubtfully at him, but then was immediately distracted by the sight of his second-favorite pair of socks in Dee's hand. He took them away from Dee and stuffed them back in the drawer.

"Yeah, she's gorgeous," Ted was saying. "But-- Dee! Nothing has ever... gone up my ass before! Ever!"

"Dude, there's a first time for everything," Dee said, walking toward the kitchen so that Ryo wouldn't overhear the next part. "Besides, this is her number one fantasy, you know?"

"What? Her number one fantasy?"

"Yeah, I've known her a long time and she was always like that. Nothing gets her hotter and wetter than pegging a guy. She likes fucking girls too, but when it's a man, that really does it for her."

"Aw, fuck. I'm doomed, aren't I?"

"Not necessarily. She knows what she's doing, so you're not gonna get hurt or anything. Besides, getting pegged is better than getting whipped, which is the other thing she likes to do to guys."

"Oh man," Ted whimpered. "I gotta get outta here."

"Are you dressed?"

"No."

"Are your clothes by any chance all over the floor in the bedroom?"

"Uh, yeah they are, 'cause I've been eating her pussy in there for, like, an hour. But, crap, I think one of my shoes might be in the living room."

"Idiot. Then getting out of there isn't going to be easy."

There was a brief silence, and then Dee heard Serena's voice calling to Ted from presumably right outside her bathroom door, "Ted? Are you okay in there?"

"Yes, just fine!" Ted called back brightly.

Dee snorted with glee when he heard her say, "Are you almost done cleaning your ass?"

"Almost!" Ted called back. "I'll be right there. Just wait for me in the bedroom, okay?"

"Oka-a-ayy. Don't keep me waiting too long."

"I won't!" Ted's cheery voice suddenly dropped to a whisper. "Dee, you gotta help me."

"Look, Ted, it's real simple. You either go out there and tell her that you're very sorry but you're totally vanilla after all, just like she was afraid of back at the party, or you open up your mind--and your ass, of course-- and get ready to broaden your sexual horizons a little. You're not gonna die, either way. But you gotta be a man and make a choice and deal with it."

"But-- but Dee, couldn't you, like, call me on my cell in ten minutes and pretend you're the Chief and say there's an emergen-- Dee? Hello? Hello?"

Dee, who was holding his phone right above the rushing water coming out of the kitchen tap, said, "What was that? Ted? I can't hear you. You're breaking up, man!"

Ted's voice was still squawking out of Dee's phone when he hit the 'end' button and terminated the call.

Dee turned around and saw Ryo standing in the entrance way to the kitchen with his arms folded, looking suspicious.

"What?" Dee asked defensively.

Ryo's eyes went from Dee's guileless expression to the phone in his hand and then back again. "You're up to no good, aren't you?"

"Come on, babe. Always ready to judge me so harshly. I was just giving Ted a little 'woman advice', that's all. It's up to him whether he 'takes it' or not. I was sick of listening to him whine, so I pretended we got cut off."

Ryo, nodded, satisfied with this explanation. "Whatever. Are you ready to come to bed?"

"More than ready! Let me just turn off my cell phone in case Ted calls me back..."

~END of Slave to a Gladiator!~

Author's notes: I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.


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